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Para-athlete Dilip Gavit couldn’t meet MNS chief Raj Thackeray in Nashik despite waiting for two hours.
Dilip Gavit won gold in the men’s 100m T47 event at CWG 2026. (PTI Photo)
Para-athlete and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Dilip Gavit was unable to meet Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday despite waiting for nearly two hours, according to his coach, Vaijnath Kale.
Gavit, who recently scripted history by winning gold in the men’s 100m T47 event at the CWG 2026 in Glasgow, had been invited to meet Thackeray during the MNS leader’s visit to Nashik, Kale said.
A video circulating on social media shows MNS workers requesting Kale to wait longer, saying Thackeray was occupied with other engagements.
“We were waiting for quite some time… Sir (Thackeray) is busy. We will meet him later,” Kale is heard saying in the video before the duo eventually left without meeting the MNS chief.
There was no immediate response from MNS spokespersons on the matter.
The incident comes days after Gavit’s historic CWG triumph, where India registered a memorable one-two finish in the men’s 100m T47 final, with Gavit clinching gold and Mohammed Basil Morssinganakath taking silver.
Hailing from Toran Dongari village near Nashik, the 23-year-old para-athlete has emerged as one of India’s leading sprint stars despite losing his right arm below the elbow following a childhood accident.
Born into a farming family, Gavit trained on village roads before being spotted by coach Kale, who mentored him into professional para-athletics.
Gavit had earlier won gold in the men’s 400m T47 event at the 2022 Asian Para Games, securing India’s landmark 100th medal at the continental event, and also represented the country at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
He currently tops the world rankings in the men’s 100m T47 category in 2026, further cementing his status as one of India’s brightest para-athletics talents.
About the Author
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More
August 07, 2026, 08:54 IST
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