All medals won by India at Summer Paralympics

India crossed the double digit in the medal tally for the first time at Tokyo Paralympics in 2020 .

India first participated in the Paralympics in 1968, marking the beginning of its journey in para-sports on the global stage. After competing in the 1968 and 1972 editions, India missed out on the 1976 and 1980 Paralympics. However, since 1984, the country has consistently sent athletes to every Summer Paralympic Games, steadily building its presence in the Paralympic movement.

A significant turning point came at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics , where India achieved unprecedented success. Indian athletes won a record 19 medals, the highest tally in a single edition for the nation. This marked a dramatic improvement from previous performances; until 2016, India had won a total of just 12 medals across all Paralympic Games.

As the action continues at Paris Paralympics 2024, let us revisit India’s topsy-curvy Olympic performances and medals won in different Olympic editions.

1972 Heidelberg Paralympics: 1

Murlikant Petkar was the first Paralympics medallist for India. He won the gold medal in the men’s 50m freestyle 3 swimming event. He also broke the world record by clocking a timing of 37.331 seconds. Petkar who hails from Maharashtra has served in the Indian army. Before becoming a swimmer, he was a boxer. He was the first Indian to win a gold medal at the Paralympics

• Gold: Murlikant Petkar (Swimming, Men’s 50m Freestyle 3)

1984 Stoke Mandeville/New York Paralympics: 4

After a gap of 12 years India again participated in the Paralympics and won a record four medals. Joginder Singh Bedi won three medals alone. He won one silver and two bronze in the athletics event. He won silver in men’s shotput L6 and bronze in men’s javelin and discus throw L6. He became the first Indian multiple medallist and has the joint highest medals for India till date.

Bhimrao Kesarkar won the silver medal in the men’s javelin throw L6 category. India finished joint 37th in the medal tally.

• Silver: Bhimrao Kesarkar (Athletics, Men’s Javelin Throw L6)
• Silver: Joginder Singh Bedi (Athletics, Men’s Shot Put L6)
• Bronze: Joginder Singh Bedi (Athletics, Men’s Javelin Throw L6)
• Bronze: Joginder Singh Bedi (Athletics, Men’s Discuss Throw L6)

2004 Athens Paralympics: 2

India participated in every edition since 1984 but failed to win a medal. It was after 20 years that the drought was ended. India won two medals (one Gold and one bronze) in the Athens Paralympics.

Devendra Jhajharia won the gold medal in the men’s javelin F46 category. He also made a world record by throwing 62.15 m. He was almost seven meters ahead of the person who finished second. 13 participants from 9 nations participated in this event.

Rajinder Singh Rahelu won the first powerlifting medal for India as he won the bronze medal in men’s 56kg. He lifted 157.5 kg and won the second medal for India in the Athens Paralympics.

• Gold: Devendra Jhajharia (Athletics, Men’s Javelin Throw F46)
• Bronze: Rajinder Singh Rahelu (Powerlifting, Men’s 56kg)

Also Read: Top five Indian athletes with most medals at Paralympics

2012 London Paralympics: 1

India won just one medal in the London Paralympics. Girisha Nagarajegowda won the silver medal in the men’s high jump F42 category with a personal best jump of 1.74 m. He was tied with Iliesa Delana of Fiji but lost the gold medal due to a countback as he took two attempts to clear 1.71m while the latter took just one attempt.

• Silver: Girisha Nagarajegowda (Athletics, Men’s High Jump F42)

2016 Rio Paralympics: 4

India won four medals in the Rio Olympics. The four medals included 2 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze. Mariyappan Thangavelu won the gold medal for team India in the men’s high jump T42 category with a jump of 1.89m. In the same event, his compatriot Varun Singh Bhatti won the bronze medal with a personal best jump of 1.86 m.

Deepa Malik became the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympics. She won a silver medal with a personal best throw of 4.61 m in the women’s shotput F53 category. Devendra Jhajharia won his second gold medal in the Paralympics in the men’s javelin F46 category. He broke his world record with a massive throw of 63.9 m in his third attempt to clinch the gold.

• Gold: Mariyappan Thangavelu (Athletics, Men’s High Jump T42)
• Gold: Devendra Jhajharia (Athletics, Men’s Javelin Throw F46)
• Silver: Deepa Malik (Athletics, Men’s Javelin Throw F53)
• Bronze: Varun Singh Bhatti (Athletics, Men’s High Jump T42)

2020 Tokyo Paralympics: 19

India made history at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, winning a record 19 medals, a huge leap from the previous total of 12 medals. This success placed India among the top 30 countries.

Bhavina Patel won India’s first table tennis medal with a silver, while Harvinder Singh became the first Indian archer to win a Paralympic medal with a bronze. Athletics was the most successful sport, securing eight medals, including Sumit Antil’s gold in javelin with a world-record throw.

Nishad Kumar, Mariyappan Thangavelu, and Praveen Kumar won silver in the high jump, while Yogesh Kathuniya and Devendra Jhajharia secured silver in the discus throw and high jump, respectively. Sharad Kumar and Sundar Singh Gurjar won bronze in the high jump and javelin throw.

In shooting, India won five medals, including two golds by Avani Lekhara and Manish Narwal. Singhraj Adhana won bronze and silver and Avani also won a bronze medal. Badminton, introduced for the first time, saw India claim four medals, with Pramod Bhagat and Krishna Nagar winning gold. Suhas Yathiraj won the silver medal while Manoj Sarkar won bronze medal.

• Gold: Avani Lekhara (Shooting, Women’s R2 10 metre air rifle standing SH1)
• Gold: Sumit Antil (Athletics, Men’s javelin throw F64)
• Gold: Manish Narwal (Shooting, Mixed P4 50 metre pistol SH1)
• Gold: Pramod Bhagat (Badminton, Men’s Singles SL3)
• Gold: Krishna Nagar (Badminton, Men’s Singles SH6)
• Silver: Bhavina Patel (Table Tennis, Women’s Individual C4)
• Silver: Nishad Kumar (Athletics, Men’s High Jump T47)
• Silver: Yogesh Kathuniya (Athletics, Men’s Discuss Throw F56)
• Silver: Devendra Jhajharia (Athletics, Men’s Javelin Throw F46)
• Silver: Mariyappan Thangavelu (Athletics, Men’s High Jump T63)
• Silver: Praveen Kumar (Athletics, Men’s High Jump T64)
• Silver: Singhraj Adhana (Shooting, Mixed P4 50 metre pistol SH1)
• Silver: Suhas Yathiraj (Badminton, Men’s Singles SL4)
• Bronze: Sundar Singh Gurjar (Athletics, Men’s Javelin Throw F46)
• Bronze: Singhraj Adhana (Shooting, Men’s P1 10 metre air pistol SH1)
• Bronze: Sharad Kumar (Athletics, Men’s High Jump T63)
• Bronze: Avani Lekhara (Shooting, Women’s R8 50 metre Rifle 3 positions SH1)
• Bronze: Harvinder Singh (Archery, Men’s Individual Recurve Open)
• Bronze: Manoj Sarkar (Badminton, Men’s Singles SL3)

2024 Paris Paralympics: 29

The Paris Paralympics 2024 saw India open its account on day 2. Para shooter Avani Lekhara won gold and Mona Agarwal secured bronze in Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1. Preethi Pal became the first Indian to win a medal in track event at Paralympics. She won bronze in women’s T35 100m event. Manish Narwal secured India’s fourth medal by claiming silver in men’s 10m air pistol SH1.

• Gold: Avani Lekhara (Shooting, women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1)
• Bronze: Mona Agarwal (Shooting, women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1)
• Bronze: Preethi Pal (Athletics, women’s T35 100m event)
• Silver: Manish Narwal (Shooting, men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1)
• Bronze: Rubina Francis (Shooting, women’s 10m Air Pistol SH1)
• Bronze: Preethi Pal (Athletics, women’s T35 200m event)
• Silver: Nishad Kumar (Athletics, men’s T47 high’s jump)
• Silver: Yogesh Kathuniya (Athletics, men’s F56 discus throw)
• Gold: Nithesh Kumar (Badminton, men’s singles SL3)
• Silver: Thulasimathi Murugesan (Badminton, women’s singles SU5)
• Bronze: Manisha Ramadass (Badminton, women’s singles SU5)
• Silver: Suhas Yathiraj (Badminton, men’s Singles SL4)
• Bronze: Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar (Archery, Mixed Team Compound Open)
• Gold: Sumit Antil (Men’s Javelin Throw – F64)
• Bronze: Nithya Sre Sivan (Badminton, women’s Singles SH6)
• Bronze: Deepthi Jeevanji (Athletics, women’s 400m T20)
• Silver: Ajeet Singh (Athletics, men’s javelin throw F46)
• Silver: Sharad Kumar (Athletics, men’s high jump T63)
• Bronze: Mariyappan Thangavelu (Athletics, men’s high jump T63)
• Bronze: Sundar Singh Gujrar (Athletics, men’s javelin throw F46)
• Silver: Sachin Sarjerao Khilari (Athletics, men’s shot put F46)
• Gold: Harvinder Singh (Archery, men’s individual recurve open)
• Gold: Dharambir (Athletics, men’s Club Throw F51)
• Silver: Pranav Soorma (Athletics, men’s Club Throw F51)
• Bronze: Kapil (Judo, men’s 60 kg)
• Gold: Praveen Kumar (Athletics, men’s high jump T64)
• Bronze: Hokato Hotozhe Sema (Athletics, men’s shot put F57)
• Gold: Navdeep Singh (Athletics, men’s javelin throw F41)
• Bronze: Simran Sharma (athletics, women’s 200m T12)

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