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Yuvaraja Karunakaran

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India Paralympics: A look at all the female medal winners from India

India Paralympics: A look at all the female medal winners from India

India Paralympics: A look at all the female medal winners from India

The 2020 Tokyo Paralympics which was India's best-ever outing at the Paralympics saw three women athletes bag Paralympic medals. The 2024 Paralympic Games kickstarts in Paris from August 28 to September 8. The Indian team will be hopeful of winning more medals in Paris. Overall India has participated in 12 editions of the Paralympic Games, winning a total of 31 medals, including 9 gold, 12 silver and 10 bronze in the Paralympics since its introduction in 1960. The Paralympics has seen individual athletes take up the role to bring glory to the country. India prepares to put on their best-ever performance in the Paris Paralympics 2024 with its largest-ever Paralympics contingent. In this blog piece, we take a look at all the female medal winners from India ahead of the Paris Paralympics 2024.

India Paralympics: A look at all the female medal winners from India

1. Deepa Malik - First Indian woman to win a medal in the Paralympic Games

Indian women athletes have been part of the country’s Para Games contingent since its debut appearance in the 1968 Tel Aviv Paralympics. It was at the 2016 Rio Paralympics when Deepa Malik became the first Indian woman athlete to win a Paralympic medal. She won a silver medal in the shot put F53 category. At just five, Malik was diagnosed with a spinal tumour and had to undergo intense physiotherapy along with three years of medical assistance to recover.

After her initial recovery, the spinal tumour reoccurred when she was 29. She underwent three surgeries for the condition and was left paralyzed from the waist down. From no Indian women competing at the 2012 London Paralympics to one woman winning in the 2016 Rio Paralympics to three women winning in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, the India Paralympics has steadily transformed into a para-sports-friendly country.

2. Avani Lekhara - The Indian superwoman making history in Paralympic Shooting

Another gold medallist from the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, 22-year-old Avani Lekhara will be setting her sights on consecutive Paralympic gold medals that will make her the first Indian para-shooter to achieve the feat. Avani Lekhara won a historic gold medal in her debut Paralympics campaign, shooting a new Paralympic record score of 249.6 in the women's 10m air rifle shooting standing SH1 final in Tokyo.

It made Avani Lekhara the first Indian woman to win a Paralympic gold medal. She had also won a bronze in the 50-metre Rifle 3 positions SH1 event. Being the India Paralympics team's strongest medal prospect, Lekhara will even be dreaming of winning two gold medals in the same Paralympics which will cement her status as one of the greatest Indian para-athletes of all time.

3. Bhavina Patel - India's first Paralympic table tennis medallist

Star India para table tennis player Bhavina Patel of Gujarat won a silver medal for India in the Class 4 category at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. The Indian para table tennis player Bhavina Patel was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2021. The remarkable athlete is currently ranked among the top three para table tennis athletes in the world. She won a gold medal in the C3-5 category at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

At the 2022 Asian Para Games in China, Bhavina Patel won a bronze medal in the Singles C4 category. Now, she is all set to make waves at the Paris Paralympics 2024. Indian women para-athletes have made an indelible mark in the Paralympic Games history, showcasing their remarkable athletic talent, determination and hard work on the global stage. From breaking barriers to overcoming physical disabilities, their medals are a strong reminder that nothing is impossible in sports. The Paris Paralympics 2024 is scheduled to take place from August 28 to September 8.

India Paralympics team all set for a new medal record in Paris 2024

The Indian Paralympics team is all set for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris with its largest-ever Paralympics contingent of 84 athletes, including 32 women. With 1 day left for the Paris Paralympics 2024 to get underway, all eyes will be on these athletes as they look to etch their names into Paralympic history. The 84-member squad is a perfect combination of experienced Paralympians and young athletes. Sumit Antil, Avani Lekhara, Manish Narwal and Krishna Nagar are all set to lead the Indian team with their impressive track records and recent successes.

They are joined by Sheetal Devi, Manasi Joshi, Mona Agarwal, Bhagyashree Jadhav and Harvinder Singh who are all ready to clinch gold medals at the Paris Paralympics. Amidst all the buzz, it will be interesting to see whether the India Paralympics team can better their medal tally in Paris Paralympics 2024. The 2024 Paralympic Games will run from August 28 to September 8. Sumit Antil and Bhagyashree Jadhav are India's flagbearers at the Paris Paralympics 2024 opening ceremony which takes place on Wednesday, August 28.

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