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Paralympics history and India's performance in recent Paralympics

September 11 , 2024 2 hrs 0 min 10 0

Paralympics history and India's performance in recent Paralympics

(இதன் தமிழ் வடிவத்திற்கு இங்கே சொடுக்கவும்)

The History of the Paralympics Games

Origins and Early Beginnings
1948: Sir Ludwig Guttman started sports for paraplegic WWII veterans at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, initiating the Paralympic movement.

Early International Expansion

1952: First International Stoke Mandeville Games with teams from the Netherlands and Britain.
1954: Expanded to 14 countries.
1955: Fourth Games grew to 18 countries with 200 athletes.

Formation of the Paralympic Games

1960: First official Paralympic Games in Rome with 400 athletes from 23 nations in eight sports.

1964: Tokyo Paralympic introduced Para powerlifting and wheelchair racing.
1968: Tel Aviv Paralympic featured 750 athletes and women's wheelchair basketball.
1972: Heidelberg Paralympic included amputees and sport-specific subcommittees.
1976: Toronto Paralympic debuted athletes with amputations and visual impairments; first Winter Paralympics in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden.

Growth and Development

1980: Arnhem saw athletes with cerebral palsy and introduced sitting volleyball.
1984: New York and Stoke Mandeville hosted Paralympic with 2,900 athletes from 45 countries; refined classification systems.
1988: Seoul hosted the Paralympic Games alongside the Olympics; notable performances from Mustapha Badid and Dennis Oehler.
1989: International Paralympic Committee (IPC) was founded.

Modern Era and Milestones

1992: Winter Paralympics in France; Summer Paralympics in Barcelona saw the debut of wheelchair tennis.
1996: Atlanta's Paralympic Games included athletes with intellectual impairments; 3,259 participants from 104 countries.

2000: Sydney Paralympic hosted with 3,879 athletes; new events included women's Para powerlifting and wheelchair rugby.
2001: In this year the agreement signed for Paralympics to be held immediately after the Olympics in the same venues.
2004: Athens Paralympic introduced the Agitos symbol and had record media coverage with 3,808 athletes.

2008: Beijing Paralympic featured 3,951 athletes and added Para rowing; global audience of 3.8 billion.
2012: London’s Paralympic Games held with 4,237 athletes.
2016: Rio de Janeiro Paralympic introduced Para canoeing and Para triathlon; 4,328 athletes from 160 countries.
2021: Tokyo's Paralympic Games included Para badminton and Para taekwondo.

Indian Participation and Achievements

India's involvement in the Paralympic Games has been marked by both commitment and notable achievements.
Since making its debut in 1968 in Tel Aviv, Israel, India has consistently participated in the Paralympics, with the exception of the 1976 and 1980 Games.

India’s Debut and Early Years at the Paralympics

1968 Tel Aviv Paralympics
India made its first appearance at the Paralympics in 1968 in Tel Aviv, Israel.
A delegation of 10 athletes, including eight men and two women, represented the country.
Although no medals were won, this marked the beginning of India’s journey in the Paralympic Games.

1972 Heidelberg Paralympics
At the 1972 Heidelberg Games in Germany, India achieved its first Paralympic success.
Murlikant Petkar won gold in the 50m freestyle swimming event, setting a world record with a time of 37.331 seconds.
Despite this achievement, India finished 24th in the medal standings.

1984 Paralympics
After not participating in the 1976 and 1980 Games, India returned in 1984.
The country won four medals: Two silvers and two bronzes.
Bhimrao Kesarkar and Joginder Singh Bedi won silver medals in Men’s Javelin Throw L6 and Men’s Shot Put L6, respectively.
Additionally, India secured bronze medals in Men’s Javelin Throw L6 and Men’s Discus Throw L6.
2004 Athens Paralympics
India’s success at the 2004 Athens Games included two medals: gold and bronze.
Devendra Jhajharia won gold in Men’s Javelin Throw F44/46, and Rajinder Singh Rahelu earned bronze in Men’s Powerlifting 56 kg.

Era of Transformation (2012-2020)

2012 London Paralympics
India won its sole medal at the 2012 London Paralympics through Girisha N Gowda, who claimed silver in the Men’s High Jump F42 category.
2016 Rio Paralympics
The 2016 Rio Paralympics were significant for India, with the country winning four medals.
Mariyappan Thangavelu won gold in the Men’s High Jump F42, and Varun Singh Bhati earned bronze in the same event.
Devendra Jhajharia won gold in Men’s Javelin Throw F46, and Deepa Malik secured a silver in Women’s Shot Put F53.

2020 Tokyo Paralympics
India achieved its highest medal count at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, winning a total of 19 medals.
This impressive haul highlighted the remarkable progress and dedication of Indian para-athletes on the global stage.

Tokyo 2020 Paralympics Overview

Host City: Tokyo, Japan
Dates: August 24 to September 5, 2021
Note: Originally scheduled for 2020, the Games were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mascot: Someity

Someity’s design blends traditional Japanese elements with a modern, dynamic appearance, symbolizing both tradition and innovation.

Motto: "United by Emotion"

Meaning: The motto "United by Emotion" represents the unifying power of sports to bring people together through shared experiences and feelings.
It emphasizes the role of the Paralympics in connecting people from diverse backgrounds and fostering a global community united in the celebration of human achievements and the spirit of competition.

The Games featured 539 medal events across 22 sports.
Notably, badminton and taekwondo made their Paralympic debut, replacing football 7-a-side and sailing.
China topped the medal table for the fifth consecutive Paralympics, securing 96 gold medals and a total of 207 medals.
Great Britain finished in second place for the ninth time, winning 41 gold medals and 124 total medals.
The United States came in third, achieving 37 gold medals, its best finish since the 2008 Games and a total of 104 medals.

list of India's medal winners at the Paris Paralympics 2020:

Gold Medals:
Avani Lekhara - Women's R2 10 metre air rifle standing SH1 (Shooting)
Sumit Antil - Men's javelin throw F64 (Athletics)
Manish Narwal - Mixed P4 50 metre pistol SH1 (Shooting)
Pramod Bhagat - Men's singles SL3 (Badminton)
Krishna Nagar - Men's singles SH6 (Badminton)
Silver Medals:
Bhavina Patel - Women's individual class 4 (Table Tennis)
Nishad Kumar - Men's high jump T47 (Athletics)
Yogesh Kathuniya - Men's discus throw F56 (Athletics)
Devendra Jhajharia - Men's javelin throw F46 (Athletics)
Mariyappan Thangavelu - Men's high jump T63 (Athletics)
Praveen Kumar - Men's high jump T64 (Athletics)
Singhraj Adhana - Mixed P4 50 metre pistol SH1 (Shooting)
Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj - Men's singles SL4 (Badminton)
Bronze Medals:
Sundar Singh Gurjar - Men's javelin throw F46 (Athletics)
Singhraj Adhana - Men's P1 10 metre air pistol SH1 (Shooting)
Sharad Kumar - Men's high jump T63 (Athletics)
Avani Lekhara - Women's R8 50 metre Rifle 3 positions SH1 (Shooting)
Harvinder Singh - Men's individual recurve open (Archery)
Manoj Sarkar - Men's singles SL3 (Badminton)

India at Paralympics: Paris 2024 vs Tokyo 2020

India's performance at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris marked a significant improvement compared to Tokyo 2020.
The Indian contingent brought home a total of 29 medals from Paris, surpassing their previous record of 19 medals from Tokyo.

Overall Medal Count

Paris 2024: 29 medals (7 gold, 9 silver, 13 bronze)
Tokyo 2020: 19 medals (5 gold, 8 silver, 6 bronze)

For the 2024 Paralympic Games:

Host City: Paris, France
Dates: August 28 to September 8, 2024
Edition: This will be the 17th Summer Paralympic Games.
Motto: Games Wide Open
Mascot: The mascot is named "Phryge," inspired by the Phrygian cap, a symbol of liberty and equality in France.
Phryge embodies the spirit of inclusion, freedom, and empowerment that the Paralympics stand for.

India’s Flag Bearers at Paris Olympics 2024

Bhagyashree Jadhav and Sumit Antil were the flag bearers during the opening ceremony.
Gold medal-winning archer Harvinder Singh and sprinter Preethi Pal, will be the country's flag bearers during the closing ceremony.

Medal Standings and Notable Achievements

China topped the medal table for the sixth consecutive Paralympics, securing 94 gold medals and a total of 221 medals.
Great Britain finished in second place for the tenth time, with 49 golds and 124 total medals.
The United States came in third, winning 36 gold medals and a total of 105 medals.
In a historic moment, Mauritius, Nepal, and the Refugee Paralympic Team each won their first-ever Paralympic medals.
The host nation, France, concluded the Games in eighth place, with 19 gold medals and a total of 75 medals.