Two Sisters From MP's Sagar Win Gold And Multiple Medals In National Water Sports
Saloni Sharma recently clinched a gold medal at the Slalom Junior National Championship and sister Pragati Sharma has also made her mark in canoe kayaking.
Published : January 20, 2026 at 4:42 PM IST
Sagar: Saloni Sharma and Pragati Sharma have made the district and the entire state of Madhya Pradesh proud with their achievements in water sports. At present, both Saloni and Pragati are undergoing training at the State Water Sports Academies.
Saloni Sharma recently clinched a gold medal at the Slalom Junior National Championship held in Maheshwar. Competing at the Sahastradhara Ghat, Saloni won the Junior Canoe C-1 Slalom (Women) event with an impressive timing of 102.25 seconds, bringing laurels to Sagar district. She is currently training at the Madhya Pradesh Government’s Water Sports Academy in Maheshwar.
Her sister Pragati Sharma has also made her mark in canoe kayaking, and has won several medals, including three golds so far.
Interestingly, both sisters had initially joined the Sagar Divisional Sports Complex to learn volleyball. However, during a talent hunt programme, they were identified for water sports. From that moment on, the sisters never looked back.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Saloni said that her success was possible due to her parents’ sacrifices and the encouragement of her coach, Seema Chakravarty. “I had taken admission to learn volleyball, but through the talent hunt I got an opportunity in water sports. Today, I am training at the academy and have won a gold medal. My dream is to win medals at the international level and make the country proud,” she said.
Coach Seema Chakravarty said Pragati Sharma is currently training at the Bhopal Water Sports Academy. “In just one and a half years, Pragati has won around 15 medals, including three golds. Both sisters were volleyball trainees at the Sagar Sports Complex when they were selected under the Sports and Youth Welfare Department’s talent search programme for the Water Sports Academy,” she said.
Saloni was even selected to play volleyball at the national level, but she chose to switch to water sports after securing admission to the academy.
The sisters credit their success to their parents’ support. Their father, Narendra Sharma, despite his modest income from putty work, left no stone unturned to support his daughters’ aspirations. Their mother, Sandhya Sharma, works at a boutique and has stood firmly behind them.
“Their parents have supported both daughters immensely. Without parental support, children cannot progress. This is a message to all parents that their responsibility does not end by just dropping children at sports complexes,” said Coach Chakravarty
Pragati added, “I have been training at the academy for the past one and a half years and the coaching here is excellent.”
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