India finishes Paralympics with historic tally: Meet the inspiring medallists
From Sheetal Devi, the armless archer, to Sumit Antil, the javelin thrower who had his leg amputated—meet India's Paralympic medal winners, who have conquered their sports against all odds
Nithya Sre Sivan - Women"s singles SH6 (Badminton) – BronzeFrom Hosur in Tamil Nadu, cricket was Nithya Sre Srivan"s favourite sport. However, watching her now-idol Lin Dan play badminton at the Rio Paralympics in 2016 inspired Srivan to start watching the shuttle sport in the lockdown of 2020, she discovered para-badminton and overcame her challenges with her short stature.She took home
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2/15
Deepthi Jeevanji - Women"s 400m T20 final – BronzeTrolled and taunted for her appearance while growing up, Deepthi Jeevanji made history as the first intellectually impaired Indian athlete to win a Paralympic medal in Paris. The 20-year-old finished the 400 m T20-class race in 55.82 seconds, bagging herself a bronze medal.The T20 class is reserved for athletes with intellectual impairment
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3/15
Mariyappan Thangavelu - Men"s high jump T6 final – BronzeAfter taking home the gold medal in Rio 2016 and the silver at Tokyo 2020, a bronze completed Mariyappan Thangavelu"s set at the Paris Paralympics 2024. He became the first Indian para-athlete to win medals at three consecutive Paralympics.At the age of 5, Thangavelu suffered an accident that destroyed his right leg below his knee,
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4/15
Sharad Kumar - Men"s high jump T6 final – SilverAlso a para high-jumper, Sharad Kumar, suffered paralysis in his left leg at the age of 2 after a forged dose of polio medicine administered in his hometown. He took up high jumping in Class 7, breaking school records even competing against able-bodied athletes.He made his international debut at the Asian Para Games in 2010 and won the bronz
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5/15
Ajeet Singh Yadav - Men"s javelin throw F46 event – SilverBorn in 1993 in Uttar Pradesh, Ajeet Singh Yadav was involved in a terrible train accident in 2017 and lost his left arm (below the elbow) while attempting to save a friend.Yadav got into para-sports through his rehab and recovery phase a few months after the accident. He made his para javelin international debut in 2019 and won a
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6/15
Sundar Singh Gurjar - Men"s javelin throw F46 event – BronzeMuch like Ajeet Singh Yadav, Sundar Singh Gurjar also lost his left hand in an accident. Hailing from Karauli, Rajasthan, he contemplated ending his life, but para sports gave him a renewed sense of purpose, according to news reports.He won the bronze medal in the same category as Yadav, which features athletes with impairments i
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7/15
Sachin Sarjerao Khilari - Men"s shot put F46 – SilverBorn to a farmer"s family in Sangli, Maharashtra, Sachin Khilari was left disabled in his left hand after falling from a bicycle during his school days. Apart from being a para-athlete, Sachin is a mechanical engineer and helps students prepare for state (MPSC) and national (UPSC) public service commission exams.The 34-year-old Indian p
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8/15
Harvinder Singh - Men"s Individual Recurve Open (Archery) – GoldWhen he was just one year old, a local doctor administered Harvinder Singh an injection for dengue—however, this left him unable to move his legs properly. Singh was drawn to para-archery after the 2012 Olympics and is now one of India"s star athletes, winning a bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and a gold in Paris.
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9/15
Dharambir - Men"s Club Throw - F51 (Athletics) – GoldAn accident while diving in the village canal left Dharambir paralysed from the waist down after he crashed into the rocks underneath. He was introduced to para-sports in 2014 and began training in club throwing under Amit Kumar Saroha, a fellow para-athlete with a similar disability.He bagged the gold medal with a staggering 34.92 m th
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10/15
Pranav Soorma - Men"s Club Throw - F51 (Athletics)- SilverIn 2011, Pranav Soorma suffered a spinal cord injury when a cement sheet fell on him, paralysing him from the waist below. He embraced para-sports while still in the hospital and found that it gave him a new purpose.Soorma clinched the silver with a remarkable throw of 34.59m, marking a historic moment for Indian athletics.
