Paris 2024 Paralympics: Athletes who won India the record-breaking medals

India set a new milestone at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, surpassing its previous record from Tokyo 2020. With a total of 29 medals — 7 gold, 9 silver, and 13 bronze — the Indian para-athletes have made the nation proud. A contingent of 84 athletes competed across 12 disciplines, marking India’s biggest presence ever at the Paralympics, including debuts in para-cycling, para-rowing, and blind judo.

The highlight came on Day 5 when India broke the record for the most medals won in a single day at the Paralympics, securing eight medals. India’s medal tally in athletics, badminton, shooting, and archery showcased the country’s growing prominence in para-sports on the global stage.

Key Medal Winners

Navdeep (Gold – Men’s Javelin Throw F41): Hailing from Panipat, Haryana, Navdeep’s short stature never stopped him from excelling in sports. The 23-year-old overcame adversity to bring home Gold.

Praveen Kumar (Gold – Men’s High Jump T64): Born with a short leg, Praveen transitioned from volleyball to high jump, eventually securing Gold with an Asian record performance.

Sumit Antil (Gold – Men’s Javelin Throw F64): Defending his title, he broke his Paralympic record three times, delivering a stunning throw of 70.59m. His journey began after a motorbike accident led to the amputation of his leg.

Nitesh Kumar (Gold – Badminton Men’s Singles SL3): A graduate of IIT-Mandi, rose from a life-changing accident in 2009 to dominate the badminton court.

Avani Lekhara (Gold – Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1): She became the first Indian woman to win gold in two consecutive Paralympics after her wheelchair-bound journey began following an accident at age 11.

Harvinder Singh (Gold – Men’s Individual Recurve Open Archery): Despite contracting dengue at a young age, his passion for archery led him to become the first Indian archer to win Paralympic gold.

Dharambir (Gold – Men’s Club Throw F51): After a diving accident left him paralyzed from the waist down, Dharambir set an Asian record with his gold-winning throw of 34.92m.

Pranav Soorma (Men’s Club Throw F51): After a spinal cord injury at 16, Pranav overcame immense challenges to secure silver behind Dharambir in a historic one-two finish for India.

Nishad Kumar (Men’s High Jump T47): Despite having a unilateral arm impairment, Nishad soared to secure silver in the high jump.

Yogesh Kathuniya (Men’s Discus Throw F56): Battling Guillain-Barre syndrome that caused quadriparesis, Yogesh clinched silver with a determined performance.

Manish Narwal (Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1): Despite a congenital impairment in his right hand, Manish demonstrated precision and skill, winning silver.

Thulasimathi Murugesan (Badminton Women’s Singles SU5): Thulasimathi’s exceptional skill earned her a silver medal, despite congenital deformities in her left hand.

Suhas Yathiraj (Badminton Men’s Singles SL4): The IAS officer with a congenital deformity in his ankle showed resilience and tenacity to secure silver.

Ajeet Singh (Men’s Javelin Throw F46): Overcoming a tragic train accident that led to the amputation of his arm, Ajeet threw his way to a silver medal.

Sharad Kumar (Men’s High Jump T63): Suffering paralysis from a polio vaccine, Sharad continued his high jump career with remarkable dedication, winning silver.

Sachin Khilari (Men’s Shot Put F46): A fall during childhood left Sachin disabled in his left hand, but his determination brought him silver in the shot put.

India’s bronze medalists at the Paris 2024 Paralympics also delivered stellar performances across various disciplines.