New Delhi:PM Narendra Modi meets Paralympians PM Narendra Modi met India's Paralympics team.
Indian Paralympians produced a historic show at Paralympics 2020 - where the team won 19 medals - five gold, eight silver, and six bronze. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the Indian Paralympics contingent on Thursday (September 9). Earlier, Modi had hosted Indian contingent that participated in Tokyo Olympics 2020.
Before Tokyo Paralympics 2020, India had won 12 medals (4 medals of each colour) in all previous Paralympics appearances combined. While India returned with 19 medals from Paralympics 2020, the total number of Indian Paralympians who participated at Rio Paralympics 2016 was 19.
Earlier, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur hailed India's Paralympians' stellar show at Paralympics 2020 and said a new era had begun for Paralympic Sports.
"New Era of Paralympic Sports has begun! Modi govt will continue to support and enhance facilities for our athletes in a targeted manner to achieve 'Podium Finish' in 2024 & 2028 Performance of athletes has been extraordinary; it's changed attitude towards sports in India!" Anurag Thakur tweeted.
On Wednesday, Thakur also felicitated the Tokyo Paralympics medallists. Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju and Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Nisith Pramanik also graced the event. Secretary of Department of Sports Ravi Mittal, Secretary of Department Youth Affairs Usha Sharma and other officers of the Ministry were also present on the occasion.
In his address, Thakur lauded the Paralympics for increasing India's medal count up to five times compared to Rio Games.
"I recall in the 2016 Paralympics, the size of the Indian contingent was 19, while this year the country has won as many as 19 medals! You have shown us that the human spirit is the most powerful of all! Our medal tally has increased by about five times. For the first time, we have won medals in Table Tennis, won multiple medals in Archery, competed for the first time in canoeing and powerlifting. We equalled two world records and we broke even more. India's para-athletes delivered a perfect podium finish!" he said.