Shimla, Sept. 27 -- As celebrations break out in native town,of Sawan Barwal who recently clinched a silver in the men's marathon at Asian Games, Kuldeep Chand, father of the 28-year-old, said "Running has been his childhood support even though it was by chance he got hooked to running." Barwal broke the national record as it was an event India had not conquered in 44 years. "It is an early Diwali for the family. We plan a grand reception when he returns in October. Its going to be a dhaam which will be served to mark the achievement. Today we celebrated the win with laddoos but planning has started for his arrival," said Chand while speaking to HT on the phone. There is a celebratory atmosphere at Sawan Barwal's home following this historic achievement. Well-wishers began arriving at his residence early in the morning. Family members and local residents are filled with excitement over his magnificent feat. His entire family-including his father Kuldeep Chand, mother Subhadra Devi, and wife Shabnam-is overjoyed by his success. Hailing from Joginder Nagar in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, Barwal's father Kuldeep worked as a driver in New Delhi while mother Subhadra Devi is a homemaker. Barwal who has been a runner for over a decade, but his initiation to running happened by chance after a visit to a track near home. "His elder brother was on the school's track team. Watching from the sidelines, he was roped in to train for 1,500m at the age of 14. Running began for him at school, where he won medals at the district and state levels, before he joined the Army in 2019", said Kuldeep who himself also had been a runner but could only compete till district level. Former chief minister and Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur extended his best wishes to all the athletes who won medals at the Asian Games. "Sawan Barwal-an Indian Army soldier from Joginder Nagar in Mandi district-won a medal in the marathon, an event India had not conquered in 44 years. Furthermore, we secured the gold medal in Kabaddi today," said Thakur At just 17, Nikita Kumari made a memorable debut for the Indian senior team, delivering a crucial performance in the final as the India's women's kabaddi team defeated Iran to clinch the gold medal on Saturday. She is among the youngest members of the Indian squad to represent the country on the international stage. For Kumari, Kabaddi was never just a sport she discovered later in life. It was part of her upbringing.Kumari started playing Kabaddi at the age of eight. Her coach, Dr Sunil Dabas, believes that her early entry into the sport helped her build mental toughness that she now displays. "Nikita and her three younger sisters have all taken to the sport, and I have watched her journey closely from a young age," Dabas told HT....