India debuted at the Paralympics in 1968 and missed the 1976 and 1980 Games but has competed in every Summer Paralympics since 1984. Murlikant Petkar won India’s first Paralympic gold in 1972 with a new world record.
India won four medals (two silver, two bronze) in 1984. After a 20-year gap, India won two medals in 2004 but did not medal in 2008. Since 2012, India has consistently won medals, including a record 19 at Tokyo 2020 (five gold, eight silver, six bronze
Here are the top five most medals by indian paralympic athletes:
5. Mariyappan Thangavelu – 2 Medals
Mariyappan is the third Indian to win multiple Paralympic medals. He won one gold and one silver in the men’s high jump F42 and T63 categories. In the 2016 Rio Paralympics, he won India’s first gold with a jump of 1.89m. At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, he earned silver with a jump of 1.86m. He was honored with the Arjuna Award in 2017 and the Major Dhyan Chand Award in 2020.
ALSO READ: Top 5 Fastest Shots in Football History
4. Singhraj Adhana – 2 Medals
Singhraj became the fourth Indian to win multiple Paralympic medals and the third to do so in the same Games. He won one silver and one bronze in shooting. He first won bronze in the Men’s P1 10-metre air pistol SH1 event and then silver in the Mixed P4 50-metre pistol SH1 event, where his fellow Indian Manish Narwal won gold.
3. Joginder Singh Bedi – 3 Medals
Joginder was the first Indian to win multiple Paralympic medals in a single edition. At the 1984 Paralympics, he won one silver and two bronze medals. He earned silver in the men’s shot put L6 category and bronze in the men’s javelin L6 and men’s discus throw L6 categories.
ALSO READ: Top 5 Knocks of MS Dhoni In International Cricket
2. Devendra Jhajharia – 3 Medals
Devendra Jhajharia is the most decorated Indian Paralympian. He has won two gold and one silver medal in the men’s javelin throw F46 category. He won gold in 2004 with a world record throw. In 2016, he won gold again, breaking his own world record, becoming the first Indian to win multiple gold medals. In 2020, he won silver with a personal best throw. He was also elected President of the Paralympic Committee of India.
1. Avani Lekhara – 3 Medals
Avani is the first Indian woman to win multiple Paralympic medals and the second Indian to do so in a single edition. She also became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Paralympics. At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, she won one gold in Women’s R2 10-metre air rifle standing SH1 and one bronze in Women’s R8 50-metre rifle 3 positions SH1. At the Paris 2024 Paralympics, she won gold in Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1.
ALSO READ:
