After finishing the Olympic games with a flourish just a fortnight ago, India is all set for the Tokyo Paralympics with its largest-ever contingent of 54 athletes, up from only five in 2008. The country has bagged 12 medals at the Paralympic games between 1972 and 2016, with over 40 percent of these won in the last two games, official data shows.
India has won four medals in each category – Gold, Silver and Bronze, so far. Five of these medals were won in the last two games — four medals in 2016, and one in London 2012 — H. N. Girisha won a silver medal in High Jump.
It is important to note that India has bagged only two Gold medals in the Olympics in individual games – Neeraj Chopra in Tokyo 2020 and Abhinav Bindra in Beijing 2008. While in Paralympics the country has won four Gold medals –- two in Rio 2016, one each in Athens 2004 and Munich 1972.
In 1972, Murlikant Petkar won India’s first ever medal in Paralympics, a Gold, in Men’s 50m Freestyle Swimming. He clocked a world record at the event. More than three decades later, Devendra Jhajharia won India’s second Gold in Athens 2004 as he made a world record in Men’s Javelin Throw.
India achieved its best ever performance in the Paralympics in 2016 games with two Gold, one Silver and one Bronze medal.
Devendra Jhajharia (Men’s Javelin Throw) and Mariappan Thangavelu (High Jump) won Gold medals while Deepa Malik (Shot Put) won a Silver. Varun Singh Bhati won a Bronze medal in High Jump.
Jhajharia is the first and only Indian so far to clinch two Gold medals at the Paralympics. Jhajharia and Thangavelu will also compete in the Tokyo Games.
Further, while 11 medal holders were men, Deepa Malik, who won a Silver medal in Rio 2016, is the only Indian woman on the list of medal holders.
Over the years, India’s participation in the Paralympics has increased. A total of 19 sportspeople represented India in Rio 2016, spread across five sports. In 2012, this number was 10 with five players in Athletics, three in Powerlifting, one each in Swimming and Shooting disciplines.
This time, 54 athletes from India will be competing in nine sports disciplines including Archery, Athletics (Track and Field), Badminton, Swimming and Weightlifting.
All the athletes representing India in Tokyo were a part of Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). In order to improve India’s performance at Olympics and Paralympics, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports started TOPS in September 2014. Under the scheme, the Ministry provide support to the players, including foreign training, international competition, equipment and coaching camp besides monthly stipend of Rs. 50,000 for each athlete.
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