Punjab Police judoka wins gold at World Police Games, returns after injury

In a proud moment for Jalandhar, judoka and Punjab Police Inspector Rajwinder Kaur has clinched the gold medal at the World Police Games held recently in Birmingham. She competed in the 78 kg category, marking a remarkable comeback after years of injury and recovery.

The win is especially significant for Rajwinder, who had largely shifted her focus to coaching at the PAP Complex in Jalandhar following a ligament injury in both knees that side-lined her for nearly five years. She underwent surgery in 2022 and spent two years in physiotherapy before making her competitive return in 2024.

“By participating in the police games, I have returned as a player after almost five years,” she said. “The biggest victory for me was to be able to restore fitness and continue the game even after crossing 40 years of age. It is common for players outside India to continue at this age, but I may be among the few in our country still competing in the ring.”

In 2024, Rajwinder won gold in the All India Police Games held in Bhubaneswar, which qualified her for the World Police Games. She also bagged a silver medal at the National Games held in Dehradun this year. “At this stage, when I am already serving as a coach in the PAP, I am in no race for points or ranks as I used to be in my earlier innings. It was just a desire to maintain my fitness and the urge to remain actively in the game,” she said.

Rajwinder boasts an impressive sporting career. Her most notable achievement came in 2014 when she secured a bronze medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. She also holds six gold medals from the All India Police Games and has twice won gold at the National Games in 2007 and 2011.

Sharing her journey, she recalled, “I come from Fazilpur village in Tarn Taran. I joined Government Senior Secondary School, Nehru Garden in Jalandhar in 2001 as a hosteller.

The next year, a team was being readied for judo and they were looking for some bulky players-I was an obvious choice. Our coach Surinder Kumar trained us at the Government School on Ladowali Road. I owe all credit for my sports journey to him. He later took me to Amritsar for advanced training and eventually, I joined NIS in Patiala.” Though she began as a sprinter in the 200m race, her transition to judo in college proved to be life-changing.

Her sporting legacy is also rooted in her family. Her husband, Kuljinder Singh, is also a judo coach who trains the men’s team, while Rajwinder coaches the women. She is the daughter-in-law of Rajbir Kaur, the celebrated ‘Golden Girl of Hockey’ and Jugraj Singh. On the personal front, Rajwinder is the mother of a 14-year-old boy with whom she now trains at the gym.

Jalandhar