Sukant Sahu, Odisha’s One-Legged Police Constable Who Inspires As A Medal-Winning Shooter
After an accident in 2006, everyone thought Sukant’s dreams had ended. But the Sambalpur man proved that a broken body cannot break a determined spirit.
Published : December 12, 2025 at 3:25 PM IST
|Updated : December 12, 2025 at 9:04 PM IST
By Badsah Jusman Kumar Rana
Sambalpur: The story of 47-year-old police constable Sukant Sahu from Dhankeewda in Sambalpur is nothing short of exceptional and inspirational. Life threw him into the darkest abyss - losing a leg in an accident was fait accompli - yet instead of giving up, he chose to stand tall again, even on one leg.
Sukant had loved sports since childhood. When he joined the police force in 1999, he received basic training in shooting, just about enough to awaken a dream, but not as much to become a professional shooter. Life moved on. He got married on April 6, 2006, and dreams of a settled life began to take shape.
Barely five months after his wedding, tragedy struck.
On September 4, 2006, while returning from duty in Deogarh, he was crushed by a 10-wheeler truck and left severely injured. He had no choice but to live life with one leg, as the other had to be amputated above the knee. In a moment, the man who once ran across grounds with a rifle found himself unable to stand. His dream of becoming a shooter shattered instantly. Depressed, he felt his world was collapsing.
In that darkness, one person refused to let him fall - his wife, Reena Sahu. She reminded him that a shooter does not need two legs, only focus, willpower, and courage. She refused to let him bury his dream and worked with his brain encouraging him to hold the rifle again.
And slowly, with an artificial leg and renewed spirit, Sukant began practicing rifle shooting once again. “After the accident, I was completely broken. My wife stood by me and gave me mental strength,” he recalls.
Practice was not enough. To become a professional shooter, he needed training. So he joined the Western Odisha VSS Shooting Academy in Bhalupali, Sambalpur. There he met coach Ardhendu Padhi, who took him on as a challenge.
“When he first came, not a single bullet hit the target. But day by day, he improved. After nine months of training, he was fully ready,” says Padhi who ensured that Sukant is trained in high-level meditation, breathing through pranayama, muscle memory, shooting cycle drills and body balance techniques.
Padhi vouches for his grit. “He came to the academy with nothing. Today, he is an example and inspiration for many able-bodied and challenged people as well,” he says.
Because he cannot stand on one leg for long, he shoots from a seated position.
But his aim? Rock steady.
Once the training took shape, success began to follow him. His medal tally started with a bronze medal which he won in the National Shooting Championship (general category) in Bhubaneswar. He bagged a gold medal in the Western Odisha Air Weapon Open Championship, a bronze medal in the Second Odisha State Open Shooting Championship 2025 and another bronze in the Indian Open Shooting Championship in Bhopal.
Most recently, he was selected as the only para-athlete shooter from Odisha for the upcoming National Shooting Championship in Bhopal.
Sukant has one deep message for everyone around. “Sorrow and accidents will come in life, but we must keep moving forward. Strengthen your morale, ignore negative voices, and focus on your goals,” he says.
Crediting his wife for every success, he recalls how she had convinced him that breaking down will lead to falling apart. And that was the turning point.
He chose strength and today, Sukant is a proud para-athlete representing Odisha at the national level. His dream is to compete internationally, one day.
Reena gets emotional and says, “Six months after marriage, life changed completely. He had lost hope. I pushed him to join VSS Shooting Academy because shooting is a sport he was passionate about. And it had nothing to do with the legs. Today he is successful because he refused to give up.”
Ramdas Panda, a retired police officer and athlete heaps words of praise for Sukant. "It has been possible because Sukant never gave up. He worked hard on his strengths and will power. Finally that is what matters,” he states.
In a world that often glorifies perfection, Sukant’s journey is one that speaks only the language of courage. He has proved that it is important to be louder than circumstances and sometimes, standing tall has nothing to do with having two legs.
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