The spectacular performance by India’s para athletes in Paris is testament to their grit and resilience. With a medal haul of 29, including seven gold, nine silver and 13 bronze, the athletes bettered their Tokyo Paralympics performance by 10 medals and attained a world ranking of 18. Some of the athletes who have become household names in India are Avani Lekhara, Praveen Kumar, Sumit Antil, Nitesh Kumar and Harvinder Singh, who won India’s first ever gold in archery. Seventeen-year-old Sheetal Devi, the armless archer who won a bronze, was the youngest in the Indian contingent and is an inspiration to others born with disabilities. Havaldar Hokato Hotozhe Sema, who lost his left leg in a landmine blast during a counter-terror operation in Jammu and Kashmir 22 years ago, lit up the Paris stage winning a bronze medal in shotput. Track and field athletes shone in the Paralympics, reaffirming the tremendous strides made by the country in this field. Their stories of courage and their never-say-die spirit are models for future para athletes. It is to the credit of the government and sporting associations that an enabling environment is being nurtured to help these sportspersons succeed. From five in Beijing the Indian contingent in Paris jumped to 80 athletes accompanied by a quantum leap in support staff and officials.
It is now for fellow citizens to encourage these athletes and laud their remarkable courage. Corporates must also take it upon themselves to sponsor the para athletes and ensure their financial stability so that they can focus on their game. Sporting infrastructure must be tailored to their needs so that Indian para athletes shine on the world stage. In a country where so little attention is paid to their needs, it is time to build disabled friendly infrastructure in public spaces and make public transport more easily accessible. We owe this to our heroic Paralympians.
