Ravi Baby Sahana and Prachi Pandey created history by becoming India's first para table tennis players to secure medals in the standing category at the Asian Para Games. India clinched a total of four bronze medals in the event, surpassing its previous medal tally. Paralympics medallists Bhavina Patel and Sonalben Patel also contributed to the country's success.
The Sports Ministry has removed para-shooting coach Jai Prakash Nautiyal from India's Para Asian Games contingent following allegations of kickbacks and protests from athletes. The contingent of 166 athletes and 109 support staff is set to compete in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, starting October 18, with several prominent Paralympians included despite selection controversies.
The 34-year-old Patel, who had surprised even the Indian camp in this Paralympics with her sensational show, stunned China's Miao Zhang 7-11, 11-7, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8 in the semi-final showdown which lasted 34 minutes.
How India's athletes fared at the Paris Paralympic Games on Friday.
Bhavinaben Patel scripted history on Friday, becoming the first Indian table tennis player to secure a medal in the Paralympics after entering the semi-finals with a stunning straight-game win over world No. 5 Borislava Peric Rankovic of Serbia in the women's singles Class 4 event, in Tokyo. The 34-year-old won her quarter-final 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 in 18 minutes.
Assured of at least a Paralympic silver medal after reaching the table tennis final at the Tokyo Paralympics on Saturday, India's Bhavinaben Patel said she doesn't consider herself as disabled and her performance at the Games proves that 'nothing is impossible'.
In para taekwondo, India will be solely represented by 21-year-old Aruna Tanwar. The Haryana-based athlete, who will participate in the women's under 49kg K44 category, will be in action on September 2 from the round-of-16 rounds.
The Indian markswoman started off well and went on to finish with 560 points, which was enough to earn her place in the final.
Table tennis player Manika Batra, who will be conferred with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award this year, said that the accolade would spur her to bring more laurels for the country.
P Anitha, Madhavan Nambiar, Sudha Hari Narayan Singh, Virender Singh, and KY Venkatesh have also been awarded the prestigious award.
Bhavina Patel wins gold in women's singles classes 3-5 category
Commonwealth Games gold medalist Manika Batra said reading books, meditation, and watching TV series are some of the activities which is helping her spend time during the coronavirus enforced nationwide lockdown. The Indian table tennis star also stressed the importance of working on physical fitness and staying positive as the country continues to reel under the pandemic.
An unprecedented 11 athletes were selected for the country's highest sporting honour.
This year a whopping 74 winners were picked for the national honours, including an unprecedented five Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratnas and 27 Arjuna awardees.
This was due to the fact that they had already won the Khel Ratna, the country's highest sporting honour.
