New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday virtually interacted with the members of the Indian contingent for the upcoming Paralympic Games in Paris starting August 28, and wished that they would help keep the Indian flag flying high in the French capital as they did in Tokyo in 2021.
India is sending its biggest-ever contingent of 84 para-sportspersons for the Paris Paralympic Games led by previous medal winners like Mariyappan Thangavelu, Avani Lekhara, Sumit Antil, Yogesh Kathuniya, and Bhavina Patel.
In his address to the athletes, the Prime Minister said India’s medal count in the Paralympic Games has multiplied since the 2012 London Games when the country won only one medal (a silver in men’s high jump by HN Girisha).
“We won four medals in 2016, including two gold medals, and in Tokyo, India won 19 medals — five gold, eight silver, and six bronze medals, which is our best performance in Paralympics so far. I am confident that you all will put in your best efforts in Paris and win a lot of medals,” the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi also informed the players that a special recovery centre would be set up in Paris for the contingent as he hoped that they would make full use of the facilities and try to improve the performance of the Tokyo Games and the 2022 Asian Para Games held in Hangzhou, China, where India bagged 111 medals.
The Prime Minister also noted that India is sending its largest-ever contingent to Paris and many from the current squad had represented the country in Tokyo as well.
“Are you feeling any stress because you will be participating in the Paralympics at such a young age,” the Prime Minister asked 17-year-old armless archer Sheetal Devi, who hails from Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir and is the youngest member of the contingent.
“I am happy that I have got this opportunity to represent the country. Initially, I was feeling some pressure when I first participated in international events. Now, I don’t feel any pressure,” Sheetal told the Prime Minister.
When the Prime Minister asked Sheetal about her goal in Paris, the archer, who won three medals including two gold in the Asian Para Games, said, “I aim to win a medal and see the Tricolour being unfurled in Paris. I want to hear the National Anthem being played in Paris.”
Shooter Avani Lekhara, a double medal winner at the Tokyo Games, including a gold, said she has matured as a player since Tokyo and is hoping to deliver her best performance in Paris.
“In Tokyo, there was some inhibition, a kind of mental barrier, as it was my first Paralympics. Now there is no such inhibition and I am looking forward to doing well in Paris,” Avani told the Prime Minister.
High jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu, who won a gold in the 2016 Paralympics, said he is confident of converting his silver medal from Tokyo to gold this time.
When the Prime Minister asked him how the scene has changed since he participated in the Paralympic Games for the first time in 2016 in Rio, Mariappan said a lot has changed since then as earlier he was a bit hesitant and had inhibition while playing in his first Games.
“Now there is no such stress,” he said.
PM Modi asked Sumit Antil, the world record holder in men’s javelin throw and Tokyo Games gold medallist, what inspires him to improve his own world record repeatedly.
Antil said he takes inspiration from Paralympic Committee of India President Devendra Jhajharia, the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal in the Paralympics, and also from Neeraj Chopra, the Tokyo Olympics gold medallist who won a silver in Paris this year.
The Prime Minister wished luck to Antil and noted that he hails from Sonipat in Haryana which has produced many sportspersons who have excelled for the country at various levels.
Amit Saroha (39), who will be representing the country in his fourth Paralympics as the oldest member of the contingent, said India’s participation and medal count has grown since 2012 when he participated in his first Games.
“When I went to London in 2012, we won only one medal. We came back strongly and put up our best show in Tokyo. Now, 84 of us are going to Paris. One of the reasons for this growth is the role played by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) which have supported us in getting good coaching, foreign exposure, and sports science backing,” said Saroha, a bronze medallist in club throw at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou.
The interaction was also attended by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, and Minister of State for Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse, along with senior officials of the Ministry and SAI.
IANS