The inspiring, incredible stories behind India's Paralympic medallists
Overcoming intense physical challenges, these athletes have shown remarkable resilience both on and off the field, bringing India a historic medal tally at the Paris Paralympics 2024
Preethi Pal - Women"s 100m and 200m T35 (Athletics) – BronzePreethi Pal became the first-ever Indian track and field athlete to win two medals at the Paris Paralympics—one bronze each at the T35 100m and T35 200m competitions.Thus far, Indian had won all its athletic medals since the 1984 Paralympics had come from field events.Pal was born in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, and has had cerebral pa
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2/9
Manish Narwal - Men"s 10m air pistol SH1 (Shooting) – SilverPara-shooter Manish Narwal scored India’s fourth medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, a silver, to follow his gold at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Narwal has a congenital impairment in his right hand.The 22-year-old had a significant lead at the start, before he seemed to lose his stronghold and shot a series of poor scores.Narwal
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3/9
Rubina Francis - Women"s 10m Air Pistol SH1 (Shooting) - BronzeHailing from Jabalpur, 25-year-old Rubina Francis was born with a condition called talipes, commonly known as clubfoot. This birth defect causes a person’s foot to turn inward, rendering them unable to stand steady.Francis, unfortunately, couldn’t gain her balance to shoot while standing or sitting, until her coaches brought i
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4/9
Nishad Kumar - Men"s high jump T47 (Athletics) – SilverNishad Kumar lost his right hand in a childhood farm accident. With determination and hard work, he racked up a silver medal for India at the Paris Paralympics, in the men’s T47 high jump event.Kumar’s mother was a state-level volleyball player and discus thrower, and always told Kumar that he was no different from others. He first be
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5/9
Yogesh Kathuniya - Men"s discus throw F56 (Athletics) - SilverDiscus thrower Yogesh Kathuniya clinched a silver medal at the Paris Paralympics, his fifth second-place finish since the Tokyo Games held in 2021.This win comes despite Kathuniya suffering a bout of chicken pox last year, followed by a diagnosis of cervical radiculopathy, which affects the C4, C5 and C6 vertebrae.Kathuniya has
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6/9
Nitesh Kumar - Men"s singles SL3 (Badminton) - GoldA train accident left Nitesh Kumar bed-ridden in 2009, when he had to have his left leg amputated. Even so, Kumar worked hard to fulfil a dream—to attend an IIT. He cleared the IIT entrance exam, and it was on campus at IIT-Mandi that he fell in love with badminton.Kumar defeated his English opponent in a thrilling final to clinch the gol
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7/9
Thulasimathi Murugesan - Women"s singles SU5 (Badminton) – SilverBorn with a congenital deformity in her left hand, Thulasimathi Murugesan lost her thumb at a young age. A dangerous accident at age 22 exacerbated the situation, affecting her left hand’s mobility largely. However, Murugesan’s father, a sports enthusiast, encouraged her to pursue badminton since she was a child.The veterina
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8/9
Manisha Ramadass - Women"s singles SUS (Badminton) - BronzeManisha Ramadass, a shuttler from Tamil Nadu, was born with a nerve condition called Erb’s palsy affecting her right arm.The 19-year-old tried her hand at para-badminton following a friend’s recommendation, and made her international badminton debut in 2022. In the same year, she took home 11 gold and 5 bronze championship medals.
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9/9
Suhas Yathiraj - Men"s singles SL4 (Badminton) – SilverAn IAS officer, NIT engineering graduate and para-shuttler, Suhas Yathiraj has had an unconventional journey to the Paralympic podium. He won back-to-back silver medals at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Games.Yathiraj has a congenital deformity in his left ankle, but he never let that stand in the way of success. An excellent student,
