Paralympics and India: 2021
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The medal winners
Murlikant Petkar (Gold) 1972 Heidelberg Paralympics
Petkar clinched the gold in the men's 50m freestyle swimming event, clocking a world record time of 37.33 seconds. Originally a boxer in the Indian Army, Patekar switched to swimming and other sports after losing his arm in the 1965 Indo-Pak war. He was India's first-ever individual gold medallist at the Paralympics.
Joginder Singh Bedi (1 Silver, 2 Bronze)
1984, New York (US), Stoke Mandeville (UK) Paralympics
Bedi won the silver medal in the shot put event while bagging a bronze each in discus and javelin throw events. He holds the record of being the Indian with the most Paralympic medals.
Bhimrao Kesarkar (Silver)
1984, New York (US), Stoke Mandeville (UK) Paralympics
Kesarkar clinched the silver medal in the men's javelin throw event. He finished ahead of compatriot Joginder Singh Bedi, who claimed the bronze medal in the same event.
Devendra Jhajharia (Gold) 2004, Athens Paralympics
Jhajharia ended India's 20 year wait for a Paralympic medal by clinching the gold in the men's javelin throw at the Athens Games. With his throw of 62.15m in Athens, Jhajharia set a new world mark, a record that he would rewrite 12 years later.
Rajinder Singh Rahelu (Bronze) 2004, Athens Paralympics
The second Indian medallist at the Athens Games, Rahelu, competed in the 56kg men's powerlifting event. He bagged the bronze with an effort of 157.5kg. Born in Mehsampur village, Jalandhar district, Punjab, Rahelu contracted polio when he was eight months old.
Girisha Nagarajegowda (Silver) 2012, London Paralympics
The lone Indian medallist in the London edition of the Games, Nagarajegowda grabbed the silver in the men's high jump with a jump of 1.74 m. Nagarajegowda, who has an impairment in his left leg, became the first Indian to win a medal in a high-jump event.
Devendra Jhajharia (Gold)
2016, Rio Paralympics
Jhajharia etched his name in history books when he sent the spear to a distance of 63.97 metres in the men's javelin throw event in Rio, becoming the first Indian to clinch two gold medals at the Paralympics. Jhajharia also bettered his world record that he had set 12 years earlier at the Athens Games.
Mariyappan Thangavelu (Gold) 2016, Rio Paralympics
Thangavelu bagged the gold in the high-jump event at the Rio Games by clearing 1.89m. He is one of only three gold medal-winning Paralympians in the country. At the age of 5, Thangavelu suffered a permanent disability when a bus crushed his right leg below the knee.
Deepa Malik (Silver) 2016, Rio Paralympics
Malik became the first woman from India to win a Paralympic medal when she won the silver in the shot put event in Rio with a best throw of 4.61m. A paraplegic, Malik was consigned to the wheelchair after being operated for a spinal tumour.
Varun Singh Bhati (Bronze) 2016, Rio Paralympics
Bhati clinched the bronze medal in high jump, accompanying compatriot Mariyappan Thangavelu, who won the gold, on the podium. Afflicted by poliomyelitis at a young age, Bhati had produced a personal best mark of 1.86 metres.
