India’s Paralympics journey began in 1968 at the Tel Aviv Games with a modest team of 10 athletes. The country’s first medal came in 1972 in Heidelberg, Germany, when para-swimmer Murlikant Petkar won gold in the 50m freestyle, setting a world record.
Since then, India has participated in 12 editions of the Paralympics, amassing a total of 31 medals—nine gold, 12 silver, and 10 bronze. The 2020 Tokyo Paralympics marked a significant milestone with a record-breaking medal haul. Athletes like Devendra Jhajharia, who has won multiple gold medals, and Joginder Singh Bedi, with three Paralympic medals, have been instrumental in India’s success.
As the 2024 Paris Paralympics approach, the Indian team is set to build on its previous achievements and aims to surpass its own records. To achieve this, India has sent its largest-ever contingent of 84 athletes. The 2024 Paris Paralympic games will begin tomorrow and end on September 8, which will be live streamed on JioCinema in India.
The contingent surpasses the previous record of 54 athletes who competed at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, where India achieved a historic performance with 19 medals—five gold, eight silver, and six bronze. Keeping that in mind, let’s explore the medal tally of India at the Paralympics games in the past.
India Paralympics medals won across years
India's Paralympic journey began in 1968 at the Tel Aviv Games with a contingent of 10 athletes, including two women, but without medals. Their first Paralympic medal came in 1972 at the Heidelberg Games, where para-swimmer Murlikant Petkar won gold in the 50m freestyle.
India missed the 1976 and 1980 Games but returned in 1984, winning four medals, including three by Joginder Singh Bedi. After a medal drought from 1988 to 2000, India won medals at the 2004 Athens Games and saw a significant improvement at the 2016 Rio Games with four medals. The Tokyo 2020 Paralympics marked India's best performance, with a record-breaking 19 medals and a 24th place finish among 86 countries.
List of medals won by India across various Paralympic Games
Games
| Gold
| Silver
| Bronze
| Total
|
2020 Tokyo
| 5
| 8
| 6
| 19
|
2016 Rio de Janeiro
| 2
| 1
| 1
| 4
|
1984 UK/USA
| -
| 2
| 2
| 4
|
1972 Heidelberg
| 1
| -
| -
| 1
|
2004 Athens
| 1
| -
| 1
| 2
|
2012 London
| -
| 1
| -
| 1
|
1980 Arnhem
| Did not participate
| -
| -
| -
|
1976 Toronto
| Did not participate
| -
| -
| -
|
2000 Sydney
| -
| -
| -
| -
|
1996 Atlanta
| -
| -
| -
| -
|
1992 Barcelona
| -
| -
| -
| -
|
1988 Seoul
| -
| -
| -
| -
|
2008 Beijing
| -
| -
| -
| -
|
1968 Tel Aviv
| -
| -
| -
| -
|
1964 Tokyo
| Did not participate
| -
| -
| -
|
1960 Rome
| Did not participate
| -
| -
| -
|
Total
| 9
| 12
| 10
| 31
|
List of Indian athletes who won medals at Paralympics across years
Athlete
| Medal
| Event
| Games
|
Avani Lekhara
| Gold
| Women’s 10m air rifle shooting standing SH1
| Tokyo 2020
|
Sumit Antil
| Gold
| Men’s javelin throw F64
| Tokyo 2020
|
Manish Narwal
| Gold
| Men’s 50m pistol SH1
| Tokyo 2020
|
Pramod Bhagat
| Gold
| Men’s singles badminton SL3
| Tokyo 2020
|
Mariyappan Thangavelu
| Gold
| Men’s high jump F42
| Rio 2016
|
Devendra Jhajharia
| Gold
| Men’s javelin throw F46
| Rio 2016
|
Murlikant Petkar
| Gold
| Swimming, Men’s 50m freestyle
| Heidelberg 1972
|
Krishna Nagar
| Gold
| Men’s singles badminton SH6
| Tokyo 2020
|
Bhavina Patel
| Silver
| Women’s singles table tennis Class 4
| Tokyo 2020
|
Nishad Kumar
| Silver
| Men’s high jump T47
| Tokyo 2020
|
Devendra Jhajharia
| Silver
| Men’s javelin throw F46
| Tokyo 2020
|
Suhas Yathiraj
| Silver
| Men’s singles badminton SL4
| Tokyo 2020
|
Girisha N Gowda
| Silver
| Men’s high jump F42
| London 2012
|
Singhraj Adhana
| Silver
| Men’s 50m pistol SH1
| Tokyo 2020
|
Praveen Kumar
| Silver
| Men’s high jump T64
| Tokyo 2020
|
Joginder Singh Bedi
| Silver
| Men’s shot put L6
| Stoke Mandeville/New York 1984
|
Joginder Singh Bedi
| Silver
| Men’s javelin throw L6
| Stoke Mandeville/New York 1984
|
Sundar Singh Gurjar
| Bronze
| Men’s javelin throw F46
| Tokyo 2020
|
Avani Lekhara
| Bronze
| Women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1
| Tokyo 2020
|
Singhraj Adhana
| Bronze
| Men’s 10m air pistol shooting SH1
| Tokyo 2020
|
Harvinder Singh
| Bronze
| Men’s individual recurve - open archery
| Tokyo 2020
|
Sharad Kumar
| Bronze
| Men’s high jump T42
| Tokyo 2020
|
Manoj Sarkar
| Bronze
| Men’s singles badminton SL3
| Tokyo 2020
|
Rajinder Singh Rahelu
| Bronze
| Men’s 56 kg
| Athens 2004
|
Joginder Singh Bedi
| Bronze
| Men’s discus throw L6
| Stoke Mandeville/New York 1984
|
Bhimrao Kesarkar
| Silver
| Men’s javelin throw L6
| Stoke Mandeville/New York 1984
|
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