Wide open: On India’s Paralympians
Following the disappointment of several near-misses in the recent Olympics, India’s best-ever show of 29 medals for an 18th place finish in the Paris Paralympics is reason to celebrate. From four medals and 43rd spot in Rio 2016 to 19 medals and 24th rank in Tokyo 2020, this is a significant ascent and depicts the Indian Paralympians’ constant improvement in sync with the increased government support. Since the challenges are different, it may not be fair to compare the achievements of the para-athletes with those in the Olympics. India’s performance in the 2024 Paralympics reflects its para-athletes’ quest for excellence despite the unimaginable odds they face. Of the seven gold, nine silver and 13 bronze medals, the majority (17 in all), came from para-athletics. The javelin throwers and...