India’s largest-ever Paralympic contingent, comprising 54 athletes, has arrived in Paris for the 2024 Paralympic Games, aiming to surpass their previous best medal haul. The Games will commence on Thursday, with a packed schedule of preliminary rounds in badminton, archery, and table tennis.
One of the most promising athletes to watch is young para-archer Sheetal Devi. The 2023 Asian Para Games gold and silver medalist will compete in the women’s individual compound open ranking round, alongside Sarita.
In para-badminton, India will field a strong team led by Sukant Kadam, Manoj Sarkar, and Suhas Yathiraj in the men’s singles. Manasi Joshi, Tarun Dhillon, and Nitesh Kumar will represent India in the women’s singles, while Thulasimathi Murugesan, Manish Ramdass, and Palak Kohli will compete in the mixed doubles.
Other events on Day 1 include para-swimming, para-taekwondo, para-shooting, para-cycling, and para-archery.
India’s previous best Paralympic performance came in Tokyo 2020, where they won 19 medals, including five golds. The contingent will be hoping to improve on that tally in Paris and make history for the country.
