Tokyo Paralympics: Indian contingent, schedule, events, all you need to know

The upcoming Tokyo Paralympics is set to begin a couple of weeks after the Tokyo Olympics. After the event was delayed by a year due to the pandemic. The Games will feature 539 events across 22 sports at 21 venues.

This year, Tokyo Paralympics will see the first time appearance of sports like Badminton and Taekwondo making their debut along with other sports.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, 19 Indian para-athletes took part in five sports clinching two Gold, one Silver, and one Bronze medal.

When will Tokyo Paralympics begin?

The Paralympic Games is set to begin on Tuesday, August 24, 2021, and will end on Sunday, September 5, 2021.

“Around Rs. 26 crores have been spent for the para-sports in the current Olympic cycle. A total of Rs. 6.1 crores have been spent under TOPS on the current core athletes in form of support towards foreign exposure, equipment, sports science services, coaching and out-of-pocket allowance,” read a document accessed by ANI.

India at Tokyo Paralympics

Archery

India archers achieved quota places for the following events from the 2019 World Archery Para Championships 2019.

Men: 

• Harvinder Singh (Recurve individual open)
• Vivek Chikara (Recurve individual open)
• Rakesh Kumar (Compound individual open)
• Shyam Sundar Swami (Compound individual open)

Women:

Jyoti Baliyan (Compound individual open)

Athletics

Indian athletes have achieved the quota places by virtue of finishing in the top 4 at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championship in Dubai, Qualification Ranking Allocation, Qualification Ranking Allocation, and High-Performance Allocation.

Men:

• Devendra Jhajharia, Ajeet Singh, and Sundar Singh Gurjar (all javelin F-46),
• Sandeep Chaudhary and Sumit (both javelin F-64),
• Mariyappan Thangavelu, Sharad Kumar, and Varun Singh Bhatti (all high jump T-63),
• Amit Kumar and Dharambir (both club throw F-51),
• Nishad Kumar and Ram Pal (both high jump T-47),
• Sonam Rana (shot put F-57),
• Navdeep (javelin F-41),
• Praveen Kumar (high jump T-64),
• Yogesh Kathuniya (discus throw F-56),
• Vinod Kumar (discus throw F-56),
• Ranjeet Bhati (javelin F-57),
• Arvind (shot put F-35),
• Tek Chand (javelin F-54).

Women:

• Ekta Bhyan and Kashish Lakra (both club throw F-51)
• Bhagyashri Jadhav (shot put F-34)
• Simran (100m T-13).

Reserve:

Sandi Sanjay Sagar (men’s javelin F-64).

Badminton

Badminton is making its debut at the Paralympic Games. 

Men:

• Pramod Bhagat
• Manoj Sarkar
• Tarun Dhillon
• Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj
• Krishna Nagar

Women:

• Paul Parmar, Palak Kohli (Women’s doubles)

India at Tokyo Paralympics

Para Canoeing

Prachi Yadav is set to become India’s first para canoe athlete at the Tokyo Paralympics.

• Prachi Yadav

Powerlifting

Men:

Jaideep Deswal (Men’s 65kgs)

Women:

Sakina Khatun (Women’s 50kgs)

Shooting

Indian shooters achieved quota places for the following events by their best finishes at the 2018 World Shooting Para Sport Championships, 2018 World Shooting Para Sport World Cup, Châteauroux, 2019 World Shooting Para Sport World Cup, Al Ain, and 2019 World Shooting Para Sport Championships, Sydney.

Men:

• Manish Narwal (10m air pistol)
• Deepender Singh (10m air pistol)
• Singhraj (10m air pistol)
• Swaroop Mahavir Unhalkar (10m air rifle standing)
• Deepak Saini (50m rifle positions, 10m air rifle standing)

Women:

• Rubin Francis (10m air pistol)
• Avani Lekhara (10m air rifle, 50m air rifle)

Mixed:

• Rahul Jakhar, Akash (25m pistol)
• Manish Narwal, Singhraj, Akash (50m pistol)
• Deepak Saini, Sidhartha Babu, Avani Lekhara (10m air rifle)
• Avani Lekhara, Deepak Saini, Siddhartha Babu (50m air rifle)

India at Tokyo Paralympics:

Swimming:

• Niranjan Mukundan (50m Butterfly)
• Suyash Jadhav (50m Butterfly, 200m individual medley)

Table Tennis:

• Sonalben Madhubhai Patel
• Bhavina Hasmukhbhai Patel

Taekwondo:

• Aruna Singh Tomar (Women’s 44-49kgs)