New Delhi: Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, along with Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, Raksha Khadse, warmly felicitated the Indian Para-Shooting contingent in New Delhi today, celebrating their remarkable achievements at the recent competition in Paris. The contingent secured a total of four medals, including gold, silver, and bronze.
Leading the triumph was Avani Lekhara, who clinched a gold medal in the R2 – Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event, setting a new Paralympic Record (PR) with 249.7 points and defending her title from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. She also became the only Indian woman to win two gold medals in the Paralympics or Olympics. Alongside her, Manish Narwal earned silver, while Rubina Francis and Mona Agarwal brought home bronze medals.
Addressing the athletes, Dr. Mandaviya congratulated them, their coaches, and their support staff for their dedication and performance. “When you play, you do not just achieve success for yourself but also bring pride to your coaches, your parents, and the entire nation,” he said. Dr. Mandaviya emphasized that all 84 para-athletes had met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi before their departure to Paris, and their collective achievements, both in medals and experiences, are a testament to their hard work.
Encouraging the athletes, he stated, “Let us build on these experiences and continue to move forward with determination, always aiming for the gold. The Government remains committed to providing international-standard training and unwavering support to our athletes and coaches.” He linked sports success to the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, which marks 100 years of India’s independence.
Among those present were para-archer Rakesh Kumar and para-athlete Pranav Soorma. Rakesh, along with Sheetal Devi, made history by winning India’s first-ever medal in Compound Archery at the Paralympics, securing bronze in the mixed team event. He narrowly missed a second medal, finishing 4th in the individual event by just one point.
Pranav Soorma earned a silver medal in the Men’s Club Throw F51 event, sharing the podium with fellow Indian Dharambir, who won gold. Their achievements added to India’s growing medal tally in the games.
By the end of events on September 8, India had claimed a total of 27 medals—6 gold, 9 silver, and 12 bronze. Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Praveen Kumar added to the haul by winning gold in the Men’s High Jump – T64 event, with a personal best jump of 2.08m, creating an Asian record in the process.
In another notable achievement, Khelo India athlete and Paralympics debutant Hokato Sema won a bronze medal in the Men’s Shot Put – F57 event, with a personal best throw of 14.65m. At 40 years old, Sema became the oldest Indian to win a medal in this edition of the Paralympics.