Turmeric Man of Himachal Pradesh

India’s performance at the Paris 2024 Paralympics has been nothing short of extraordinary. With a record-breaking haul of 29 medals (7 gold, 9 silver, and 13 bronze), India not only shattered its previous best of 19 medals at Tokyo 2020, but also cemented its place among the top nations in para-sports. This remarkable achievement reflects the perseverance and hard work of Indian para-athletes and the growing support from government initiatives aimed at empowering them.

29 Medals, 1 Nation, Limitless Pride! 🇮🇳✨

Our para-athletes have made history at the Paris 2024 Paralympics! With 7 Gold, 9 Silver, and 13 Bronze medals, they have shown the world the true meaning of resilience, grit, and determination.

Each victory is a testament to their… pic.twitter.com/S93jhrlR7s

— Paralympic Committee of India (@PCI_IN_Official) September 8, 2024

Overview of the Paris 2024 Paralympics

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games is the largest-ever international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities. Taking place between August 28 to September 8, 2024, the event featured over 4,400 athletes competing in 549 medal events across 22 sports. The competition fostered inclusivity and celebrated the exceptional talent of para-athletes from around the world.

Key Details of Paris 2024 Paralympics

Particular	Details
Location	Paris, France
Start Date	August 28, 2024
End Date	September 8, 2024
Number of Sports	22
Number of Athletes	4,400 (approx.)
Total Medal Events	549
Indian Athletes	84
Indian Medals	29
India’s Rank	18

The Origins of the Paralympic Games

In 1948, Sir Ludwig Guttmann organized a sports event in Stoke Mandeville, England, for 16 World War II veterans suffering from spinal cord injuries. This competition marked the beginning of what would become the Paralympic Movement. Four years later, athletes from Holland joined, transforming it into an international event. This milestone gave rise to the Paralympic Movement, which aims to provide athletes with disabilities the opportunity to compete on a global stage.

The first official Olympic-style games for athletes with disabilities were held in Rome in 1960, shortly after the Olympic Games. These inaugural Paralympics featured 400 participants from 23 countries, competing across eight sports. Since then, the Paralympic Games have been held every four years, coinciding with the Olympic Games. Over the decades, the Paralympics have grown into one of the world's largest sporting events, playing a vital role in promoting social inclusion.

Establishment of the International Paralympic Committee

On September 22, 1989, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) was established in Düsseldorf, Germany, as a non-profit organization. Its role is to govern the Paralympic Movement globally. The term "Paralympic" originates from the Greek preposition "para," meaning "beside" or "alongside," signifying that the Paralympic Games run parallel to the Olympic Games, with both movements existing side by side.

India's Medal Winners at Paris 2024

No.	Athlete	Sport	Event	Medal
1	Avani Lekhara	Shooting	Women's 10m air rifle standing SH1	Gold
2	Mona Agarwal	Shooting	Women's 10m air rifle standing SH1	Bronze
3	Preethi Pal	Athletics	Women's 100m T35	Bronze
4	Manish Narwal	Shooting	Men's 10m air pistol SH1	Silver
5	Rubina Francis	Shooting	Women's 10m air pistol SH1	Bronze
6	Preethi Pal	Athletics	Women's 200m T35	Bronze
7	Nishad Kumar	Athletics	Men's high jump T47	Silver
8	Yogesh Kathuniya	Athletics	Men's discus throw F56	Silver
9	Nitesh Kumar	Badminton	Men's singles SL3	Gold
10	Thulasimathi Murugesan	Badminton	Women’s singles SU5	Silver
11	Manisha Ramadass	Badminton	Women’s singles SU5	Bronze
12	Suhas Yathiraj	Badminton	Men’s singles SL4	Silver
13	Rakesh Kumar / Sheetal Devi	Archery	Mixed team compound open	Bronze
14	Sumit Antil	Athletics	Javelin throw F64	Gold
15	Nithya Sre Sivan	Badminton	Women's singles SH6	Bronze
16	Deepthi Jeevanji	Athletics	Women's 400m T20	Bronze
17	Mariyappan Thangavelu	Athletics	Men's high jump T63	Bronze
18	Sharad Kumar	Athletics	Men's high jump T63	Silver
19	Ajeet Singh	Athletics	Men's javelin throw F46	Silver
20	Sundar Singh Gurjar	Athletics	Men's javelin throw F46	Bronze
21	Sachin Khilari	Athletics	Men's shot put F46	Silver
22	Harvinder Singh	Archery	Men's individual recurve open	Gold
23	Dharambir	Athletics	Men's club throw F51	Gold
24	Parnav Soorma	Athletics	Men's club throw F51	Silver
25	Kapil Parmar	Judo	Men's -60kg J1	Bronze
26	Praveen Kumar	Athletics	Men's high jump T64	Gold
27	Hokato Hotozhe Sema	Athletics	Men’s shot put F57	Bronze
28	Simran	Athletics	Women's 200m T12	Bronze
29	Navdeep Singh	Athletics	Men's javelin throw F41	Gold

India's Medal Distribution by Sport

India's medals were spread across five sports: Athletics, Badminton, Shooting, Archery, and Judo. The country's dominance in track and field was evident, with a whopping 17 medals in athletics alone.

Indian Medals by Sport

Sport	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
Archery	1	0	1	2
Athletics	4	6	7	17
Badminton	1	2	2	5
Judo	0	0	1	1
Shooting	1	1	2	4
Total	7	9	13	29

India's Rise in the Paralympics Medal Table

India’s 29-medal haul placed the country 18th in the overall medals tally at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. This is a significant achievement for the country, especially in a competition where China dominated with an overwhelming total of 220 medals, including 94 gold medals.

Top 5 Medal Winners at Paris 2024 Paralympics

Rank	Country	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	China	94	67	59	220
2	Great Britain	49	42	35	126
3	United States	36	33	25	94
4	Ukraine	30	24	21	75
5	Brazil	28	26	28	82
18	India	7	9	13	29

A Glimpse into India's Paralympic History

India’s journey in the Paralympic Games began in 1968, but the country's first taste of gold came in 1972 when Murlikant Petkar won the 50m freestyle swimming event, setting a world record with a time of 37.33 seconds. Since then, India has grown into a force to be reckoned with, consistently improving its medal tally with each edition of the Games.

India's Medals in Paralympic History

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1972 Heidelberg	1	0	0	1
1984 Stoke Mandeville	0	2	2	4
2004 Athens	1	0	1	2
2016 Rio de Janeiro	2	1	1	4
2020 Tokyo	5	8	6	19
2024 Paris	7	9	13	29
Total	16	21	23	60

Conclusion

India’s performance at the Paris 2024 Paralympics has been a testament to the nation’s growing strength in para-sports. The 29-medal haul, including seven golds, marked India's best-ever performance at the Games and showcased the country's potential to rise even further in future editions. With consistent support from the government and various para-sports federations, India is on its way to becoming a dominant force in the global Paralympic movement.