India at the Paralympics

India made its Summer Paralympic début at the 1968 Games, competed again in 1972, and then was absent until the 1984 Games. The country has participated in every edition of the Summer Games since then. It has never participated in the Winter Paralympic Games. [ [http://www.paralympic.org/release/Main_Sections_Menu/Sports/Results/paralympics_search.html?npc=IND&gender=all&medal=all&sport=all&games=all India at the Paralympics] , official website of the International Paralympic Committee]

Indian Paralympians have won two individual gold medals, two silver and three bronze.

In 1972 at the Heidelberg Games, Petkar swam the 50 meter freestyle in a world record time of 37.331 seconds to give India her first ever Gold . India finished 25th out of the 42 participating nations.

In 1984, Joginder Singh Bedi won silver at the Men's Shot Put and followed it up with a pair of bronze winning performances in the Discus and Javelin throws. Another Indian, Bhimrao Kesarhar, won the silver medal in the Javelin. India finished 37th out of the 54 participating nations.

India continued to participate in each Paralympics thereafter, but failed to make an impact till the 2004 Games in Athens when Devendra Jhajharia, another Javelin thrower, won gold and Rajinder Singh won bronze for powerlifting in the 56-kg category. India finished 53rd out of the 136 nation field. ^{[http://www.thesportscampus.com/beijing-news/india-paralympic-games-2008]}

ee also

* India at the Olympics

External links

* [http://www.paralympic.org Official IPC Website]
* [http://www.paralympicindia.org Official Indian Website]
* [http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=&id=5964f793-0c88-41bc-ba5d-e742605913db&&Headline=Why+are+we+so+unsporting+about+the+differently+abled%3f&strParent=strParentID Olympics vs. Paralympics - why have we stopped caring]

References