Rio 2016 silver medallist and Paralympic Committee of India chief Deepa Malik is expecting the country’s athletes to create history by recording their best-ever performance at the Tokyo Games that gets underway on Tuesday.

India will field its biggest contingent with 54 athletes set to compete across nine sports – archery, athletics, badminton, canoeing, shooting, swimming, powerlifting, table tennis and taekwondo.

Also read:  

Tokyo 2020 Paralympics: Complete list of athletes in India’s record contingent and their events

History, India’s medals, new events and more – a brief guide to Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games: An overview of the schedule for India’s 54-member contingent

“Absolutely, my expectations have already gone beyond what I was expecting. This year, India is sending the largest-ever contingent. I am very hopeful that we are going to create history,” Malik said when asked if she is expecting the best-ever display.

“It’s a contingent which is three times bigger in number, we have added four more sports in the past 4-5 years of gap between 2016-21.

“Almost two years have gone in the pandemic but despite that it’s a huge leap in the number of athletes qualifying,” Malik said during a virtual press conference organised by Thums Up.

The first woman from India to win a Paralympic medal, Malik said the statistics are looking bright for the Indian contingent.

“It is not just qualification it is also acquiring the quota on the basis of world ranking. The statistics are looking very bright, athletes have done pretty well in the selection trials and the kind of current world rankings they are holding look very promising.

“Because the number of participation and the number of sports has increased, we have top ranking athletes, that gives us a very good indication that it’s going to be great Paralympics for Indian history.”

At the Rio Games in 2016, the Indian contingent returned with a haul of four medals, including two gold, a silver and a bronze.

Malik, the Rio Games silver medallist in shot put, said the athletes have adapted well to the conditions in the Games Village.

Talking about the COVID restrictions, she said “We have to submit our samples every morning for COVID testing. Before entering any place you have to give your temperature and maintain a distance. In the village there are designated lanes.”