CHENNAI: With the biggest-ever contingent of 54 athletes across nine disciplines, India were expected to deliver their most memorable performance at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. The country’s para athletes lived up to their expectations by bagging 19 medals, including five gold, which helped them to finish 24th in the overall tally.
Though there were issues with Paralympic Committee of India, the sports ministry ensured no athletes suffered. Deepa Malik, president of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), said all factors combined together to help para athletes win laurels at the grandest of the stage. “I think all factors combined. Because unless you have the awareness, where will the new talent come in. 2016 probably, with the help of, media and the support of government and policies helped us create an atmosphere which was accepting of para-sports,” she said.
The government, in fact, spent around `28 crores (ACTC and TOPS) since the 2016 Rio Paralympics to ensure the athletes get every facility to succeed. Almost all para athletes were included in the TOPS with a few medal contenders in the scheme since the beginning.
Full story: newindianexpress.com