India's Historic Triumph at Paris Paralympics: A Record Medal Haul

India made history at the Paris Paralympics with a record haul of 29 medals, including seven golds. The team's performance surpassed its previous best of 19 medals at Tokyo 2020. PCI president Devendra Jhajharia credited government schemes for this unprecedented success.

The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) President Devendra Jhajharia has declared that India created history at the Paris Paralympics, concluding their campaign with a record 29 medals, including seven golds, nine silvers, and 13 bronzes. This is the highest medal tally for India in Paralympic history.

By surpassing its previous record of 19 medals from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and securing the 18th position, India has solidified its status as a burgeoning sporting nation. The Indian contingent returned home on Tuesday, greeted as heroes for their landmark performance.

Speaking to ANI, Jhajharia emphasized the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government schemes in facilitating this historic achievement. "The past decade has seen tremendous work in sports through initiatives like TOPS and Khelo India. These efforts have truly paid off," Jhajharia remarked.

Among the standout achievements, India secured its first archery gold and first-ever medal in Blind Judo. Avani Lekhara made history by becoming the first Indian woman to clinch two Paralympic gold medals in shooting, setting a world record in the process.

Other remarkable firsts include a one-two finish in para-athletics, a gold in individual recurve para-archery, and Sumit Antil's back-to-back gold medals in javelin with a Paralympic record throw.

(With inputs from agencies.)