Every medal won by India at the Paralympics

The Paris Paralympic Games saw India send their largest ever contingent of 84 para-athletes.

India’s first participation in the Paralympic Games took place back in 1968 and they won their first medal in 1972. Since 1984, India have been constantly sending athletes to the Games and they recorded their best-ever tally at the previous Games in Tokyo with 19 medals . In total, India has won 35 medals (10 gold, 13 silver, 12 bronze), ranking 57th in the all-time table.

Here is every medal won by India at the Paralympics:

NOTE: After 1972, India did not send athletes to the 1976 and 1980 Games.

1972 Heidelberg Paralympics

India’s first medal at the Paralympics Games came in 1972 with Murlikant Petkar winning a gold medal in swimming. It was a huge sporting moment as he set a world record in the 50m freestyle 3 swimming event with a timing of 37.33 seconds.

1984 Stoke Mandeville/New York Paralympics

In the 1984 Games, Joginder Singh Bedi became the first para-athlete to win multiple medals in the same edition. He participated in the shot put, javelin and discus throw events, winning medals in all three. Apart from Bedi, Bhimrao Kesarkar also won a medal for India, making it four in the Games.

• Joginder Singh Bedi – SILVER – Athletics, men’s shot put L6.

• Joginder Singh Bedi – BRONZE – Athletics, men’s javelin L6.

• Joginder Singh Bedi – BRONZE – Athletics, men’s discus throw L6.

• Bhimrao Kesarkar – SILVER – Athletics, men’s javelin L6.

2004 Athens Paralympics

Devendra Jhajharia, a para legend, won his first of three Paralympics medals at Athens. He became only the second gold medalist from India at the Paralympics when he clinched the top prize in men’s javelin throw. The other medal at the Games came from powerlifter Rajinder Singh Rahelu.

• Devendra Jhajharia – GOLD – Athletics, men’s javelin F44/46.

• Rajinder Singh Rahelu – BRONZE – Athletics, powerlifting men’s 56kg.

2012 London Paralympics

India could win only one medal at the London Games thanks to Girish Nagarajegowda.

2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympics

Jhajharia won her second gold medal in 2016 and became the first Indian para athlete to win two gold medals at the Paralympics. Apart from Jhajharia, Mariyappan Thangavelu also won a gold medal in high jump.

India finished up with four medals, including a silver for Deepa Malik, who became the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympic Games.

• Devendra Jhajharia – GOLD – Athletics, men’s javelin F46.

• Mariyappan Thangavelu – GOLD – Athletics, men’s high jump F42.

• Deepa Malik – SILVER – Athletics, women’s shot put F53.

• Varun Singh Bhati – BRONZE – Athletics, men’s high jump F42.

2020 Tokyo Paralympics

India had their best-ever Paralympic Games in Tokyo, winning 19 medals, which included five gold. Naturally, India recorded their best finish on the medals tally, ranking 24th among 78 nations which won at least one medal at the Games.

Shooter Avani Lekhara won two medals and became the first Indian woman to win an individual gold medal and first woman multi-medallist.

• Avani Lekhara – GOLD – Shooting, women’s 10m air rifle SH1.

• Sumit Antil – GOLD – Athletics, men’s javelin throw F64.

• Manish Narwal – GOLD – Shooting, mixed 50m pistol SH1.

• Pramod Bhagat – GOLD – Badminton, men’s singles SL3.

• Krishna Nagar – GOLD – Badminton, men’s singles SH6.

• Bhavina Patel – SILVER – Badminton, women’s singles C4.

• Nishad Kumar – SILVER – Athletics, men’s high jump T47.

• Yogesh Kathuniya – SILVER – Athletics, men’s discus throw F56.

• Devendra Jhajharia – SILVER – Athletics, men’s javelin F46.

• Mariyappan Thangavelu – SILVER – Athletics, men’s high jump T63.

• Praveen Kumar – SILVER – Athletics, men’s High Jump T64.

• Singhraj Adhana – SILVER – Shooting, men’s 50m Pistol SH1

• Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj – SILVER- Badminton, men’s singles SL4.

• Sundar Singh Gurjar – BRONZE – Athletics, men’s javelin throw F46.

• Singhraj Adhana – BRONZE- Shooting, men’s 10m air pistol SH1.

• Sharad Kumar- BRONZE – Athletics, men’s high jump T63.

• Avani Lekhara – BRONZE – Shooting, women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1.

• Harvinder Singh – BRONZE – Archery, men’s individual recurve open.

• Manoj Sarkar – BRONZE – Badminton, men’s singles SL3.

2024 Paris Paralympics

It didn’t take long for India to open their mark, with Avani Lekhara defending her gold from Tokyo on day 2 of the Paralympics. Mona Agarwal joined her on the podium with bronze. Day 2’s medals continued with Manish Narwal winning silver and Preethi Pal winning India’s first-ever track medal at the Paralympics.

• Avani Lekhara – GOLD – Shooting, women’s 10m air rifle SH1.

• Mona Agarwal – BRONZE – Shooting, women’s 10m air rifle SH1.

• Manish Narwal – SILVER – Shooting, men’s 10m air pistol SH1.

• Preethi Pal – BRONZE – Athletics, women’s 100m T35 sprint.