Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with India’s Paralympic athletes on Thursday, September 12, at his residence in New Delhi. He congratulated them for their historic achievements and expressed his joy in meeting the athletes, who had recently participated in the Paris Paralympic Games.
Video of the Meeting Surfaces
A video of the meeting has emerged, showing athletes praising PM Modi for his unwavering support. The athletes said the Prime Minister always meets them like a guardian, both before and after tournaments. His personal involvement has become a source of motivation for them.
“PM Means Param Mitra to Us”
One athlete shared, “For everyone, PM means Prime Minister, but for us, PM means Param Mitra (best friend).” Another athlete acknowledged how PM Modi has supported para-athletes like no one else before. The team even referred to him as their “brand ambassador,” recognizing his deep involvement in their success.
The meeting took place at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, on Thursday. India secured its highest-ever Paralympic medal haul, finishing 18th in the tally.
India bagged seven gold, nine silver, and 13 bronze medals, bringing the total to 29. This broke the previous record of 19 medals set at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
Avani Lekhara and Kapil Parmar Honored
Avani Lekhara, the first Indian woman to win two Paralympic gold medals, gifted her jersey to PM Modi. She defended her title in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event with a world record score. The jersey had a message: “Thank you sir, for your support…”
Kapil Parmar, who won bronze in Para Judo in the men’s 61kg J1 category, had his medal signed by PM Modi.
Record-Breaking Performance in Paris
A record 84 Indian para-athletes competed at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, held from August 28 to September 8. They participated in 12 disciplines, including three new ones: para cycling, para rowing, and blind judo.
Javelin thrower Sumit Antil became the first Indian man to defend his Paralympic title. He won gold in the men’s javelin throw F64 with a 70.59m throw, setting a new Paralympic record. Antil broke his own previous record, set at Tokyo 2020, three times during the event.
Harvinder Singh made history by becoming India’s first-ever Paralympic archery champion.
India’s stellar performance in Paris highlights the growing strength of its para-athletes on the world stage.
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