India at the 2020 Summer Paralympics
India competed in the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan, from 24 August to 5 September 2021. Indian athletes have appeared in every edition of the Summer Paralympics since 1984, though they made their official debut at the 1968 Summer Paralympics. This was India's most successful Paralympic season with 5 golds 8 silvers and 6 bronzes (total 19). Before this edition, India had won 12 medals (4 medals of each color) of all previous Paralympics appearances combined.
India at the 2020 Summer Paralympics | |
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IPC code | IND |
NPC | Paralympic Committee of India |
Website | www |
in Tokyo, Japan | |
Competitors | 54 in 9 sports |
Flag bearer (opening) | Tek Chand |
Flag bearer (closing) | Avani Lekhara |
Medals Ranked 24th |
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Summer Paralympics appearances (overview) | |
Table tennis player Bhavina Patel won India's first olympics (Paralympic) medal in Table Tennis. Shooter Avani Lekhara scripted history as she became the first Indian to win a medal in Shooting in the Paralympics. She also became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal and become multiple medalist in Paralympics. Another shooter Singhraj Adhana won two medals - Silver in Mixed 50m pistol SH1 category and Bronze in Men's 10m air rifle SH1 category.
Archer Harvinder Singh became the first Indian to win a medal in Archery at the olympics (Paralympic). He won a bronze medal in Men's Recurve Individual. In badminton Indian shuttler won a record number of medals including two golds (Pramod Bhagat - Men's singles SL3, Krishna Nagar - Men's singles SH6) one silver (Suhas Yathiraj - Men's Singles Badminton SL4) and one bronze (Manoj Sarkar - Men's Singles Badminton SL3). Mariyappan Thangavelu and Devendra Jhajharia won consecutive medals in their respective category (they both won gold in Rio 2016). They both won silver medals. Devendra's silver at the Tokyo Games took his overall individual tally to three medals and he's now level with legendary Paralympian Joginder Singh Bedi who also has three medals to his name at the Paralympic Games. In Javelin throw F64 another Indian Sumit Antil won agold medal (68.55 m) with new world record.
Indian discus thrower Vinod Kumar lost his F52 category bronze medal after being found ineligible in the disability classification assessment. Mariyappan Thangavelu was originally the flag bearer but because of quarantine, the flag bearer was changed to Tek Chand.