Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met the Indian athletes who took part in the Rio Paralympic Games, including the four medallists, and applauded them for making the country proud with their achievements. The 19-member Indian contingent had returned home from the Paralympics with two golds, one silver and a bronze. Mariyappan Thangavelu (men's T42 high jump) and Devendra Jhajharia (men's F46 javelin throw) had won gold in their respective events while Deepa Malik (women's F53 shot put) and Varun Singh Bhati (men's T42 high jump) had bagged a silver and bronze respectively.
The government has announced cash awards of Rs. 90 lakhs for Rio Paralympics 2016 medal winners.
The 43-year-old asserted that the para athletes are physically and mentally ready for the Paris Games and will continue the trend of doing well at marquee events as they did at the Para Asian Games last year and in the recent world championships.
'To the youth, I will say work hard. One minute of work will not get you anything. I have worked hard for the past 20 years, 2002 was the first time I won a gold medal.'
India's Paralympians presented Prime Minister Narendra Modi with an autographed stole on Thursday during a breakfast hosted by him to felicitate the contingent at his residence in New Delhi.
India sign off Paralympics with an unparalleled 19 medals: 5 gold, 8 silver, 6 bronze.
Belgian Paralympian Marieke Vervoort has said she is still considering euthanasia but contrary to media reports, will not be ending her life immediately after the Games in Rio. The 37-year-old, who won a silver medal in the 400 metres wheelchair race on Saturday, suffers from an incurable and degenerative spinal condition and signed euthanasia papers in 2008 in Belgium, where it is legal. Belgian media reported before the Games that she might take her life after Rio, but Vervoort rejected the reports in an emotional media conference on Sunday.
At Rediff.com, we would like to salute their undying spirit...
'Instead of making this a four-year phenomenon, when you look at us and get thrilled, do it more regularly.'
More than 100 Russian Paralympians have individually filed cases to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in order to be allowed to compete at next month's Games in Rio, Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) Vice President Pavel Rozhkov said on Tuesday. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last week rejected an RPC appeal against the suspension which was handed out by the IPC because of Russia's state-sponsored sports doping programme.
India won 19 medals (5 gold, 8 silver and 6 bronze) in Tokyo Paralympics for a 24th place in the tally and Jhajharia predicted that the country will win more than 25 medals in Paris and finish in top-20 in the tally.
The 36-year-old Jhajharia, who is the first Indian to win two Paralympic gold medals, was the first choice of the awards selection committee.
Visually impaired transgender sprinter Valentina Petrillo said she felt welcomed by her fellow competitors despite the widespread scrutiny outside of the Paralympic village in France.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) on Sunday banned all Russians from its own Games next month because of the widespread doping culture that it says has polluted sport in the country.
Soorma, a dashing six-footer, expressed gratitude towards his family for supporting his and wants to give them back by winning a medal at the Paris Paralympics.
Javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia became the first Indian to clinch two gold medals at the Paralympics after he broke his own world record to clinch the top honours at the Rio Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Last Thursday, the awards selection committee of Khel Ratna recommended para athlete and Rio Paralympics gold medallist Devendra Jhajharia for the prestigious award for 2017.
India have sent an 84-strong contingent of para-athletes, the largest ever in the country's history -- a heady mix of youth and experience, for the Paralympic Games, starting in Paris on Wednesday.
Visa Inc, operator of the world's largest payments network, said on Wednesday it had signed sponsorship deals with all ten members of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) refugee team, essentially becoming their first corporate sponsor.
Sports Minister Vijay Goel on Wednesday refused to commit if medallists of the ongoing Rio Paralympics will be conferred with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award -- the highest sporting honour in the country. An Olympic medallist directly qualifies for the Khel Ratna award during an Olympic year but Goel said there is no such policy in place for the paralympians.
The gold medal in men's javelin throw F46 category in the Rio Paralympics made Devendra Jhajharia the most successful Indian para athlete ever but he is in no mood to stop here and is eyeing for a treble in the 2020 Tokyo Games. The 35-year-old Jhajharia, a left-hand amputee, is the only Indian para athlete to have won two gold medals in the Paralympics, the earlier one being the yellow metal he won in 2004 Athens. "I am not stopping here after the Rio success. I have enough gas in my tank and I will definitely go for gold in Tokyo. I know my body and I can still train two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening rigorously everyday, just like I did in the build-up to the Rio Paralympics," Jhajharia told PTI in an interview.
The same scandal has led to 109 out of 387 athletes originally included in the Russian team for the Rio Olympics being banned, including its entire track and field squad.
India has 53 achievers on the list, second only to China which has 76 honorees.
In a bid to give increased recognition to their achievements, the medallists from the Rio Paralympics will be recommended for the Padma awards this year by the Sports Ministry.
Touched with Paralympian Mariyappan Thangavelu's gesture to donate Rs 30 lakh from his prize money to his school, Sports Minister Vijay Goel on Monday said that all athletes backed by the government should try to set up academies or centres of their own to inspire the youth. Mariyappan, who scripted history at Rio Paralympics after winning a gold medal in high jump, has donated Rs 30 lakh from his 2 crore prize money towards his government school in Tamil Nadu.
Rio Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik, Virat Kohli are in the list
The Tokyo Paralympics slated to begin on August 24, will be Jhajharia's third Paralympics.
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu also congratulated the para athletes for bringing glory to the country.
'Neeraj's gold medal can be a turning point for the game in India. India's first Olympic medal in track and field and that too a gold.'
With the Tokyo Paralympics opening on Tuesday, here's a look at all the past Indian medallists.
Malik, who was travelling on Vistara's Mumbai-Delhi flight UK 902 on Tuesday when the incident happened, also complained to the airlines about "poor handling" of wheelchair-bound passengers by the airline staff.
Gymnast Dipa Karmakar and discus thrower Vikas Gowda were the other sport spersons to receive the honour on Thursday.
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar showered praise on Deepa Malik, who created history by becoming the first-ever Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympics.
As we celebrate International Women's day on March 8, meet the Indian sportswomen who have made the nation proud with their superlative performances in the sporting arena.
Infuriated over Khel Ratna snub Paralympian Deepa Malik gets Haryana CM backing 'And I am not lobbying for it. Lobbying is when you try to influence people before the committee sits and decide. When I found my name is not there, I wrote to the ministry, it's an appeal. I have got the backing of my state CM. Haryana is a sports conscious state. He (CM) also felt that I have been overlooked'
Sharad Kumar smashes continental record for gold in men's high jump
India's leading table tennis player Sharath Kamal, who was ignored for Padma Shri, feels the existing awards application system makes the athletes beg for the honour.
Over the last few years, National Sports Awards have been in the news for creating controversies, but Sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal has said there is no need to review the selection policy for them.
The first Indian woman to clinch a Paralympic medal, a thrilled Deepa Malik says her F-53 shot put silver is a result of being daring enough to dream. Deepa's best throw of 4.61m from her six attempts was enough to clinch the silver medal. "I dared to dream and I have determination to work hard and the passion and perseverance to follow that dream. Women often lose that and I have ensured that my family is not neglected, my children are doing well too," Deepa said.
'Athletes get Rs 600 daily for their diet.' 'My kids eat chocolates for Rs 600!'
