Gujarat : Farmer’s Daughter Kajal Vaja Sprints to Asian U20 Silver, Creates National Record

Gandhinagar | Gujarat — In a remarkable story of perseverance and determination, 19-year-old sprinter Kajal Vaja from Chorwad village in Gujarat’s Junagadh district has brought pride to the nation by helping India win a silver medal in the women’s 4x100m relay at the 22nd Asian Under-20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong.

Competing alongside Bhavana from Tamil Nadu, Aarti from Haryana and Nipam from Uttar Pradesh, Kajal played a pivotal role as the Indian quartet clocked 45.05 seconds to finish second on the podium. The performance not only earned India a silver medal but also established a new national under-20 record, surpassing the previous mark of 45.08 seconds.

For Kajal, the achievement represents much more than a medal. Coming from a modest farming family, her journey to international success has been marked by sacrifice, discipline and unwavering commitment. Her father, Hirabhai Vaja, works as a farmer and farm labourer in the coastal village of Chorwad. Despite financial constraints, Kajal remained focused on her sporting ambitions and worked tirelessly to reach the highest levels of competition.

To pursue her athletic dreams, she even took a year off during Class 12 to concentrate entirely on training and preparation.

“Kajal had a special affinity for sports since her school days and has consistently delivered strong performances in competitions,” said Manthan Dabhi, who is closely associated with the athlete’s family.

Her coach, Shivam Upadhyay, believes Kajal’s success is the result of relentless dedication and a strong competitive spirit.

“Kajal is one of the most promising young sprinters in India. She has made Gujarat proud by winning medals in the 100m, 200m and relay events. Her discipline, confidence and hunger to improve make her stand out. She approaches every training session with complete commitment,” Upadhyay said.

The Hong Kong silver medal adds another significant chapter to Kajal’s growing list of achievements. In 2025, she won silver in the 4x100m relay at the South Asian Senior Athletics Championships in Ranchi. Earlier this year, she claimed gold in the 60m event at the Indoor Open Athletics Championship in Bhubaneswar, clocking 7.50 seconds and setting a new national under-20 record.

Kajal’s sporting journey began through the Sports Authority of Gujarat’s school programme before she joined the District Level Sports School in Kodinar in 2019. Her talent later earned her a place at the High-Performance Centre in Nadiad, where she continues to train.

Congratulating the athlete, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said, “Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the state government is committed to providing world-class facilities to athletes. Kajal’s achievement is a proud moment for Gujarat and for India.”