India’s fencing story has a new golden chapter—and Taniksha Khatri is at its centre.

The 22-year-old fencer created history at the Commonwealth Fencing Championships 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria, clinching gold in the Senior Women’s Épée event. In an all-Indian final, Khatri produced a commanding performance to defeat fellow fencer Khushi Dabhade 15-7, becoming the first Indian to win gold in this event.

The Indian contingent delivered an extraordinary overall performance. Prachi Lohan secured bronze, sharing the position with Australia’s Ashley Harrison. With Khatri taking gold, Dabhade silver and Lohan bronze, three of the four medallists were Indian.

From Karnal to the World Stage

Born on September 23, 2003, in Karnal, Haryana, Khatri grew up in a sports-oriented family. Her father, Sonu Khatri, was a former athlete and police officer, giving her an early connection to competitive sport.

Her fencing journey began in 2015 at a summer camp organised by DAV Police Public School. She initially took up foil and even won an Under-14 national youth championship. But a crucial change soon transformed her career. Her coach, Mohit Ashwini, encouraged her to switch to épée, a decision that would eventually take her to the top of the Commonwealth podium.

Khatri went on to win three Junior National titles and later trained in France under former world champion Nathalie Moellhausen. Her rise also earned institutional recognition when she was commissioned as an officer in the Indian Navy.

A Career Built on Breakthroughs

The Commonwealth gold is the latest milestone in a career filled with landmark performances. At the 2022 Commonwealth Junior Championships in London, Khatri won individual and team silver medals in junior women’s épée. She also helped India secure silver at the Asian Junior Championships in Tashkent that year.

Her breakthrough on the senior continental stage came at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, where she reached the quarter-finals. That performance marked the furthest progression by an Indian fencer at the Asian Games at the time. She subsequently broke into the top 35 at the Doha Grand Prix, further establishing herself among the sport’s rising names.

The road to the Olympics, however, remained unfinished. Khatri narrowly missed qualification for the Paris 2024 Games. Now, with a historic Commonwealth title secured, the Indian fencer has delivered a powerful reminder of what perseverance can achieve.

From a summer camp in Karnal to the top step of the podium in Lagos, Taniksha Khatri has turned a decade of determination into a golden piece of Indian sporting history.