Paralympics 2024: Paris-bound team gets a warm send off

Union Sports Minister urges Indian Paralympics team to excel in Paris with confidence and support from the nation.

The Union Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya urged the Paris-bound Indian Paralympics contingent to come up with its best performance ever.

In a warm send off ceremony in the Capital, Mandaviya and the Minister of State for Sports, Raksha Khadse, were unanimous in addressing the athletes as the “pride of the nation” and expressed confidence that they would continue to script inspiring stories.

The president of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), double Paralympic gold medallist Devendra Jhajaria, was confident that the 84-member contingent, the biggest ever, would win more than 25 medals in Paris.

“We had 56 athletes in Tokyo, competing in 12 disciplines. Now, we are competing in three more disciplines. All the athletes have had excellent training. We have 47 first timers. Many have already reached Paris and are training well”, said Jhajaria.

With his vast experience, spread across many years in Paralympics, Jhajaria told the athletes not to be weighed down by the pressure of expectations.

“Don’t come under pressure. You have to give your best. Once you do that, medal will be assured”, he said, equally confident that India would finish among the top-20 countries in the Games.

“Your journey is very inspirational. For most of us, it is a learning experience”, said Raksha, as she recalled the film depicting Murlikant Petkar in Chandu Champion, and also the fascinating journey of the 17-year-old archer Sheetal Devi.