Para-rowers Narayana, Kuldeep win bronze at World Rowing Cup 2

Both the para-rowers had lost their legs in a landmine blast at the same location, Nowshera in Jammu and Kashmir, in identical circumstances two years apart. On Saturday, five years after striking their combination, they clinched their third international bronze medal - in the PR3 men's pair event at the World Rowing Cup 2 in Poznan, Poland. Narayana and Kuldeep finished in 7 minutes 33.35 seconds behind France's Jerome Hamelin and Laurent Cadot (6:52.08) and Andrii Sayvykh & Dmytro Herez of Ukraine (7:29.20).

The duo had won their first bronze at the same venue in 2019 and their second later that year at the Para-Rowing Asian Championships in South Korea. "I am feeling very proud to have won the bronze for the country. I have to thank the federation, SAI and the Army Rowing Node," said Andhra's Narayana, who belongs to the Madras Engineer Group of the Indian army.

Kuldeep, from the 2 Jat regiment, was equally thrilled. "The phone has not stopped ringing," said the 30-year-old from Haryana. The common thread that runs through their lives is remarkable.

Both hail from families with farming backgrounds and they are the only ones in their families to join the armed forces. Kuldeep, who had won gold in volleyball at the sub-junior and junior levels for Haryana, joined the army through sports quota in 2010. Narayana, three years elder to his teammate, played kabaddi and football in his school days and has district level gold medals in kabaddi.

He entered the Services in 2007. Both recall their fateful days with clarity. While Kuldeep was injured in 2013, Narayana was hurt in 2015.