Indian Gold Medalist Swapna Barman Runs for Office

Swapna Barman made history in 2018 as India's first heptathlete to win Asian Games gold. Now she's running for office in her hometown of Rajganj, determined to create opportunities for the next generation of athletes.

The 29-year-old joined the Trinamool Congress party in February 2026 and quickly learned that politics requires a different skill set than sports. "In sports, individual dedication and hard work matters and brings success," Barman told The Hindu. "In politics, everything is dependent on the will of the people."

Barman's campaign promise is personal and practical. If elected, she wants to establish a sports academy in her constituency. "I want many Swapna Barmans to emerge from North Bengal," she said.

Growing up in Jalpaiguri as part of the Rajbangshi community, Barman understands her constituents' needs. She describes them as simple people who want peace and development, and she's ready to deliver both.

About 150 kilometers away in Tufanganj, former first-class cricketer Shib Sankar Paul is also making the leap from sports to politics. The 46-year-old right-arm fast bowler represented Bengal's cricket team for years and was even included in India's Test squad for the 2004-05 series against Australia.

Paul approaches his campaign like a cricket match. He exercises, does his homework about each place he visits, and prepares meticulously. "Playing cricket is very difficult, no one can say they will get these many runs or wickets. Same way politics is also difficult," he said.

Why This Inspires

Paul's motivation reveals something beautiful about public service. When he was coaching cricket, he could help only a handful of people at a time. Now he sees politics as a chance to reach the masses and solve problems for entire communities.

Both athletes bring winning attitudes to their campaigns, showing that the discipline and dedication that earned them medals can translate into real service for their home regions.

Their candidacies represent the Trinamool Congress party's fresh strategy in north Bengal, shifting from celebrity endorsements to homegrown sports heroes who understand their communities from the ground up. These aren't distant stars parachuting in, they're local champions coming home to serve.

Two gold medal winners are proving that the ultimate victory might not happen on a podium after all.