India has announced its largest-ever contingent of 84 athletes to compete at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, scheduled from August 28 to September 8. This marks a significant increase from the 54 athletes sent to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, including 14 women. Notably, India will participate in three new sports at Paris 2024: para-cycling, para-rowing, and blind judo, bringing the total number of sports to 12.
Arshad Shaik and Jyoti Gaderiya will represent India in para-cycling, while Kapil Parmar and Kokila will compete in blind judo. Anita and K. Narayana will participate in para-rowing.
India’s most successful Paralympic Games was Tokyo 2020, where the country won 19 medals, including five gold, eight silver, and six bronze. Avani Lekhara, who won gold in the women’s R2 10m air rifle standing SH1 event, will return to compete in Paris 2024. Sumit Antil, the gold medalist in men’s F64 javelin throw, will also participate.
Table tennis player Bhavina Patel, who won India’s first Paralympics medal in the sport, will compete in the women’s singles and doubles events. Harvinder Singh, the first Indian to win an archery medal at the Paralympics, will appear in individual and mixed team recurve events.
