In its long history of participating in the Summer Games, India has won a total of 12 medals, and four of them have been gold.
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India has had a long history of churning out great para-athletes. The country won its first-ever medal at the 1972 Paralympics, and ever since, there have been many athletes who have joined Murlikant Petkar. In its long history of participating in the Summer Games, India has won a total of 12 medals, and four of them have been gold.
Here is a list of the most successful para-athletes of all time
Jhajaria was India’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony and broke his own world record in the men’s javelin throw event. In Athens, he had won India its second gold medal at the Paralympics with a then-world record throw of 62.15 meters. Javelin was not a part of the Beijing and London Games but back in Rio, Jhajharia delivered a stunning throw of 63.97 meters.
Jhajharia was the first para-athlete to be honoured with the Khel Ratna Award after his heroics in Rio. “It gives me great happiness,” he had said. “But it would have been even greater had I won it in 2005 after winning the gold and breaking the world record at the Athens Paralympics. So, it’s a bit late but I am happy nonetheless.”
Mariyappan won India its first medal with gold in the men’s T42 high jump event. He, Sam Grewe, and compatriot Varun Singh Bhati had cleared the 1.86m mark and were competing for the gold medal. This was the only competition going on in the stadium and all eyes were on these three athletes.
But, Mariyappan clinched the top spot with a brilliant jump of 1.89 meters. He became just the third Indian athlete to win a gold medal at the Paralympics.
When he was five, Mariyappan suffered permanent disability in his right leg when he was run over by a drunk bus driver while walking to school. In March 2016, Mariyappan cleared a distance of 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) in the men’s high jump T–42 event at the IPC Grand Prix in Tunisia, which ensured he would go to the Rio Paralympics. At the Rio Paralympics, he won the gold medal in the men’s high jump T–42 event, with a leap of 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in).
Malik became the first-ever woman to win a Gold medal at the Paralympics. This remarkable feat took place at the Rio Paralympics. With a personal best throw of 4.61 meters, Malik won the silver medal in the women’s shot put F53 event.
The then 45-year-old was the oldest member of the Indian contingent at the Rio Games. After winning silver in the shot put and discus throw events at the 2011 World Championships, she had received the Arjuna award in 2012
Murlikant Petkar was the first-ever Indian to have won a gold medal in the Paralympics. Petkar suffered debilitating injuries in an aerial attack during the 1965 war with Pakistan and was rendered paraplegic. He bagged the first-ever medal at the 1972 Games at Heidelberg, Germany. It was before the time of 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medalist Abhinav Bindra or for that matter, Devendra Jhajharia’s javelin throw gold at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens.
Petkar won gold in 50m freestyle 3 swimming in the then world record time of 37.33 seconds. He had earlier created a world record of 38.19 secs.
