India won 19 medals in Tokyo Paralympics 2020. This was beyond expectations. Out of 54 Indian athletes 17 won 19 medals. Two athletes won two medals each. India finished 24 in ranking.
India’s previous best was 4 medals at Rio Paralympics 2016. India won 2 gold medals, 1 silver medal and 1 bronze medal. India had 19 athletes. From 1968 to 2016 India had won a total of 12 medals.
India’s participation in Paralympics began with Tel Aviv Paralympics 1968. India’s Murlikant Petkar won gold medal in Heidelberg Paralympics 1972. India did not take part in 1976 and 1980 Paralympics.
India won 2 silver and 2 bronze medals in Stoke Mandeville and New York Paralympics 1984. Joginder Singh Bedi had won 1 silver and 2 bronze medals.
India did not win any medal at 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2008 Paralympics. India won 1 gold and 1 bronze medal in Athens Paralympics 2004.
India won a silver medal in London Paralympics 2012.
Paralympics has more categories and medals than Olympics.
Avani Lekhara won gold medal in women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 and bronze medal in women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1.
Manish Narwal won gold medal in mixed 50m pistol SH1.
Sumit Antil won gold medal in men’s javelin throw F64.
Pramod Bhagat won gold medal in men’s singles SL3 in badminton.
Krishna Nagar won gold medal in men’s singles SH6 in badminton.
Singhraj Adhana won silver medal in mixed 50m pistol SH1 and bronze medal in men’s P1 10m air pistol SH1.
Bhavina Patel won silver medal in women’s singles in class 4 in table tennis.
Devendra Jhajharia won silver medal in men’s javelin throw F64. He had won gold medal in Athens Paralympics 2004 and Rio Paralympics 2016.
Nishad Kumar won silver medal in men’s high jump T47.
Mariyappan Thangavelu won silver medal in men’s high jump T63. He had won gold medal in Rio Paralympics 2016.
Praveen Kumar won silver medal in men’s high jump T64.
Yogesh Kathunia won silver medal in men’s discus throw F56.
Suhas Yathiraj won silver medal in men’s singles SL4 in badminton.
Sundar Singh Gurjar won bronze medal in men’s javelin throw F64.
Sharad Kumar won bronze medal in men’s high jump T63.
Manoj Sarkar won bronze medal in men’s singles SL3 in badminton.
Harvinder Singh won bronze medal in men’s recurve in archery.
India won 5 gold, 8 silver and 6 bronze medals. It could have been 7 bronze medals and total 20 medals. Vinod Kumar had won bronze medal in men’s discus throw F52. There was a protest. There was re-assessment by classification panel. Vinod Kumar was found ineligible for men’s F52 discus medal. Classification panel was unable to allocate him a sports class. Vinod Kumar was evaluated on 22/8/2021 and was cleared to compete in F52 category. What went wrong and who is responsible is not known.
Congratulations to winners. Condolences to losers. Some of you will have another opportunity in Paris Paralympics 2024 if everything goes according to plan.