Top 10 best Indian para-athletes who made the nation proud in 2021

These athletes were all part of the record-creating Indian contingent at the Tokyo Olympics.

Indian sports reached a new landmark in 2021, after the country finished with a record seven medals at the Tokyo Olympics. However, what is less talked about are the stupendous achievements of India at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. India finished in 24th place with a total of 19 medals (five gold, eight silver and six bronze), their highest-ever tally at the competition.

So, today, we take a look at those Paralympians who brought glory to the nation. Here is a a countdown of the top 10 Indian para-athletes, who made the country proud in 2021:

10. Suhas Yathiraj (Para Badminton)

Para-shuttler Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj won a silver for the nation at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics in the SL-4 category. Suhas defeated Indonesian player Fredy Setiawan in the semi-finals to earn his first Paralympic medal. The final scoreline of the match was 21-9,21-15.

However, things didn't go Suhas' way in the finals as he lost to Frenchman Lucas Mazur. But, the District Magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar will be quite happy with his performance and is definitely one of the best para-athletes in India in 2021.

9. Singhraj Adhana (Para Shooting)

Singhraj Adhana won two medals for India in the SH1 category at the Tokyo Paralympics. He finished right behind compatriot Manish Narwal, who had won gold. Singjhraj finished fourth in the qualifying round and picked up his game in the final, 

He scored 216.7 to finish ahead of RPC's Sergey Malyshev, who won bronze with 196.8. It was his second medal in the competition. The first one was a bronze in the 10m air pistol in the SH1 category. The 39-year-old was definitely on point with his shooting.

8. Devendra Jhajharia (Para Javelin Throw)

Devendra Jhajharia became India's most decorated Paralympian with his silver medal in the men's javelin throw F-46 class. It added to his two Paralympic gold medals at Athens 2004 and Rio 2016. This miraculous feat by Devendra brought him on par with Joginder Singh Bedi. Bedi also has three Paralympic medals - two bronze and a silver.

The former Indian Railways employee set a new personal record in the final. He bettered his own previous mark with a 64.35m throw. He came just short of Sri Lanka's Dinesh Herath who threw an even better 67.79m.

7. Praveen Kumar (Para High Jump)

Praveen Kumar won India's eighth athletics medal - and fourth high jump medal - at the Tokyo Paralympics, with silver in the men's high jump T64 class. The man from Noida successfully cleared 2.07m in the final - a new personal best and new Asian record - to climb on the podium.

The only person to better him was world champion Jonathan Broom-Edwards. Praveen's performance made him one of the best Indian para-athletes of 2021

6. Mariyappan Thangavelu (Para High Jump)

Mariyappan Thangavelu had already won gold at Rio 2016 in the high jump T42 category. He added another to his tally in Japan. Thangavelu won his second Paralympic medal, a silver in the men's high jump T42 class.

After easily clearing the initial marks, defending champion Mariyappan Thangavelu took three attempts each to clear the 1.83m and 1.86m mark. He went for gold by attempting the 1.88m, but could not jump past in three attempts, which gave him the silver medal.

5. Krishna Nagar (Para Badminton)

Para badminton star Krishna Nagar won a gold medal to wrap up India’s campaign at the Tokyo Paralympics, in the men’s singles badminton SH6 category.

Nagar did not lose a single match throughout his campaign. The Indian badminton player found himself up against Hong Kong’s Chu Man Kai. Nagar held his own and finally got the deserving win. He is certainly one of the best Indian para-athletes of 2021

4. Pramod Bhagat (Para Badminton)

Bhagat was born in Hajipur Vaishali district of Bihar. The 33-year-old suffered from polio which affected his left leg. Even then he chose to push forward because of encouragement.

He made his Paralympics debut in Tokyo and struck gold. He became the first-ever champion in the men's singles SL3 category. The three-time world champion para-shuttler only dropped a single game in his four matches to win the historic gold medal.

3. Manish Narwal (Para Shooting)

Arjuna Award winner Manish Narwal found the target perfectly in Tokyo. He won the gold medal in the men's 50m pistol SH1 at the Tokyo Paralympics with a solid display at the Asaka Shooting Range.

Narwal qualified for the final as the seventh-best shooter in the qualifying round. He upped the ante in the medal round and shot a Paralympic record-setting 218.2 to claim the top spot on the podium. This certainly makes him one of the best Indian para-athletes of 2021.

2. Sumit Antil (Para Javelin Throw)

Sumit Antil created history at the Tokyo Paralympics, as he broke his own world record to win gold in the men's javelin throw F64 category.

The 23-year-old Sumit began with a 66.95m throw, beating his previous world record of 62.88m. In his second attempt, he once again made a new world record with a 68.08m throw. The new world record was finally marked at 68.55m - which was Sumit Antil's fifth attempt in the final - and gave him the top spot on the podium. Antil also won the Khel Ratna in 2021, making him one of the most successful Indian para-athletes of 2021.

1. Avani Lekhara (Para Shooting)

Para shooter Avani Lekhara entered her first Paralympics and was not one of the overwhelming favourites to clinch a medal. But, her performance in Tokyo exceeded expectations.

Avani shot a new Paralympic record of 249.6 in the women's 10m air rifle shooting standing SH1 class final to win the gold medal. It also equalled the world record score in the category. The 19-year-old out-shot defending Paralympic champion Cuiping Zhang and reigning world champion Iryna Shchetnik of Ukraine to win gold.

In the 50m air rifle 3 positions SH1 category also she kept up the same spirit. However this time around she added a bronze to her name.

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