Paris Paralympics 2024: A Comprehensive Look at Indian Athletes Qualified for the Marquee Event

Paris Paralympics 2024

The stage is set for a historic moment as India prepares to send its largest-ever contingent to the Paralympic Games. The Paris Paralympics 2024, scheduled from August 28 to September 8, will witness a formidable Indian team of 84 athletes, including 32 women, ready to make their mark on the global stage. This is a significant leap from the Tokyo Paralympics where India fielded a team of 54 athletes.

The City of Lights will be the backdrop for a diverse range of Indian talent across various disciplines. From the precision of archery to the raw power of athletics, the grit of badminton to the elegance of equestrian, India's representatives are set to showcase their exceptional abilities.

The athletics track promises to be a hotbed of Indian action with a formidable squad of 38 athletes. The likes of Sumit Antil, the reigning Paralympic champion in javelin throw, will be looking to defend their title, while the likes of Nishad Kumar, Mariyappan Thangavelu, and Deepa Malik will be aiming for podium finishes.

Badminton, a relatively new addition to the Paralympic roster, has witnessed a meteoric rise in India. With 13 players in the fray, including the likes of Manoj Sarkar, Krishna Nagar, and Pramod Bhagat, India is poised to make a substantial impact in this sport.

The aquatic disciplines of swimming, canoeing, and rowing will also see Indian participation. Suyash Narayan Jadhav will be the lone swimmer representing India, while Prachi Yadav, Yash Kumar, and Pooja Ojha will carry the nation's hopes in canoeing. Anita and Naryana Konganapalle will be the duo to watch out for in rowing.

Other sports like archery, powerlifting, shooting, and table tennis will also see Indian representation.

 Harvinder Singh, Rakesh Kumar, and Shyam Sundar Swami will be the archers to watch out for, while Paramjeet Kumar, Ashok, Sakina Khatun, and Kasthuri Rajamani will be the powerlifters carrying India's hopes. A strong contingent of 10 shooters, including the likes of Avani Lekhara and Manish Narwal, will be aiming for medals, while Sonalben Patel and Bhavinaben Patel will be the table tennis players representing India.   

Completing the Indian contingent are the para-judoka Kapil Parmar and Kokila, and para-taekwondo athlete Aruna.

As the countdown to Paris 2024 begins, the nation is brimming with anticipation and excitement. With a larger and more diverse team, India is aiming to surpass its previous best performance at the Tokyo Paralympics, where it clinched a historic 19 medals. The dream of surpassing the 25-medal mark is on, and the Indian contingent is determined to make it a reality.

Below is a detailed look at the Indian athletes who have qualified for the Paris 2024 Paralympics, categorized by their respective sports.

Para Archery (6 Athletes)

1. Harvinder Singh - Men’s Individual Recurve Open, Mixed Team Recurve Open (ST)

2. Rakesh Kumar - Men’s Individual Compound Open, Mixed Team Compound Open (W2)

3. Shyam Sundar Swami - Men’s Individual Compound Open, Mixed Team Compound Open (ST)

4. Pooja - Women’s Individual Recurve Open, Mixed Team Recurve Open (ST)

5. Sarita - Women’s Individual Compound Open, Mixed Team Compound Open (W2)

6. Sheetal Devi - Women’s Individual Compound Open, Mixed Team Compound Open (ST)

   
   

Para Athletics (38 Athletes)

1. Deepthi Jeevanji - Women’s 400m -T20

2. Sumit Antil - Men’s Javelin Throw - F64

3. Sandeep - Men’s Javelin Throw - F64

4. Ajeet Singh - Men’s Javelin Throw - F46

5. Sundar Singh Gurjar - Men’s Javelin Throw - F46

6. Rinku - Men’s Javelin Throw - F46

7. Navdeep - Men’s Javelin Throw - F41

8. Yogesh Kathuniya - Men’s Discus Throw - F56

9. Dharambir - Men’s Club Throw - F51

10. Pranav Soorma - Men’s Club Throw - F51

11. Amit Kumar - Men’s Club Throw - F51

12. Nishad Kumar - Men’s High Jump - T47

13. Ram Pal - Men’s High Jump - T47

14. Mariyappan Thangavelu - Men’s High Jump - T63

15. Shailesh Kumar - Men’s High Jump - T63

16. Sharad Kumar - Men’s High Jump - T63

17. Sachin Sarjerao Khilari - Men’s Shot Put - F46

18. Mohd. Yasser - Men’s Shot Put - F46

19. Rohit Kumar - Men’s Shot Put - F46

20. Preethi Pal - Women’s 100m - T35, Women’s 200m - T35

21. Bhagyashri Madhavrao Jadhav - Women’s Shot Put - F34

22. Manu - Men’s Shot Put - F37

23. Parveen Kumar - Men’s Javelin Throw - F57

24. Ravi Rongali - Men’s Shot Put - F40

25. Sandip Sanjay Gurjar - Men’s Javelin Throw - F64

26. Arvind - Men’s Shot Put - F35

27. Dipesh Kumar - Men’s Javelin Throw - F54

28. Praveen Kumar - Men’s High Jump - T64

29. Dilip Mahadu Gavit - Men’s 400m - T47

30. Soman Rana - Men’s Shot Put - F57

31. Hokato Hotozhe Sema - Men’s Shot Put - F57

32. Sakshi Kasana - Women’s Discus Throw - F55

33. Karamjyoti - Women’s Discus Throw - F55

34. Rakshitha Raju - Women’s 1500m - T11

35. Amisha Rawat - Women’s Shot Put - F46

36. Bhavanaben Ajabaji Chaudhary - Women’s Javelin Throw - F46

37. Simran - Women’s 100m - T12, Women’s 200m - T12

38. Kanchan Lakhani - Women’s Discus Throw - F53

    
    

Para Badminton (13 Athletes)

1. Manoj Sarkar - Men’s Singles SL3

2. Nitesh Kumar - Men’s Singles SL3, Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5

3. Krishna Nagar - Men’s Singles SH6

4. Sivarajan Solaimalai - Men’s Singles SH6, Mixed Doubles SH6

5. Suhas Yathiraj - Men’s Singles SL4, Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5

6. Sukant Kadam - Men’s Singles S4

7. Tarun - Men’s Singles S4

8. Manasi Joshi - Women’s Singles SL3

9. Mandeep Kaur - Women’s Singles SL3

10. Palak Kohli - Women’s Singles SL4, Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5

11. Manisha Ramadass - Women’s Singles SU5

12. Thulasimathi Murugesan - Women’s Singles SU5, Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5

13. Nithya Sre Sivan - Women’s Singles SH6, Mixed Doubles SH6

    
    

Para Canoe (3 Athletes)

1. Prachi Yadav - Women’s Va’a Single 200m VL2

2. Yash Kumar - Men’s Kayak Single 200m -KL1

3. Pooja Ojha - Women’s Kayak Single 200m -KL1

   
   

Para Cycling (2 Athletes)

1. Arshad Shaik - Road - Men’s C2 Ind. Time Trial, Road - Men’s C1-3 Road Race, Track - Men’s C1-3 1000m Time Trial, Track - Men’s C2 3000m Ind. Pursuit

2. Jyoti Gaderiya - Road - Women’s C1-3 Ind. Time Trial, Road - Women’s C1-3 Road Race, Track - Women’s C1-3 500m Time Trial, Track - Women’s C1-3 3000m Ind. Pursuit

   
   

Blind Judo (2 Athletes)

1. Kapil Parmar - Men’s -60kg J1

2. Kokila - Women’s -48kg J2

   
   

Para Powerlifting (4 Athletes)

1. Paramjeet Kumar - Men’s up to 49kg

2. Ashok - Men’s up to 63kg

3. Sakina Khatun - Women’s up to 45kg

4. Kasthuri Rajamani - Women’s up to 67kg

   
   

Para Rowing (2 Athletes)

1. Anita - PR3 Mix Dbl Sculls-PR3Mix2x

2. Naryana Konganapalle - PR3 Mix Dbl Sculls-PR3Mix2x

   
   

Para Shooting (10 Athletes)

1. Amir Ahmad Bhat - P3 - Mixed 25m Pistol SH1

2. Avani Lekhara - R2 - Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1, R3 - Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1, R8 - Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1

3. Mona Agarwal - R2 - Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1, R6 - Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1, R8 - Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1

4. Nihal Singh - P3 - Mixed 25m Pistol SH1, P4 - Mixed 50m Pistol SH1

5. Manish Narwal - P1 - Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1

6. Rudransh Khandelwal - P1 - Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1, P4 - Mixed 50m Pistol SH1

7. Sidhartha Babu - R3 - Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1, R6 - Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1

8. Deepender Singh - P1 - Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1, P3 - Mixed 25m Pistol SH1

9. Sidhartha Rathore - R7 - Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1, R1 - Men’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1

10. Swapnil Smadhurkar - R7 - Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1

    
    

Para Swimming (4 Athletes)

1. Suyash Jadhav - Men’s 50m Butterfly S7, Men’s 200m Individual Medley SM7

2. Niranjan Mukundan - Men’s 50m Butterfly S7, Men’s 100m Freestyle S7

3. Paralympian Advait Bhartiya - Men’s 100m Breaststroke SB11

4. Nashik Nikhil Mandhare - Men’s 100m Breaststroke SB11

   
   

Para Table Tennis (2 Athletes)

1. Bhavina Patel - Women’s Singles Class 4

2. Sonu Sharma - Men’s Singles Class 7

   
   

Para Taekwondo (2 Athletes)

1. Aruna Tanwar - Women’s K44 -49kg

2. Neetu Gulia - Women’s K44 -58kg

   
   

India's participation in the Paris 2024 Paralympics is a testament to the country's growing strength and depth in para-sports. With a well-rounded contingent across various sports, expectations are high for India to better its performance from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, where the nation secured an impressive haul of 19 medals, including 5 golds. The athletes are gearing up to showcase their skills and bring glory to the nation on the world stage.

Author

Rishab is an aspiring sports journalist, currently pursuing his master’s in multimedia journalism at Christ University, Bangalore. Having previously worked with various organizations such as TheNewsMinute, TimesNetwork, DeccanHerald, and Sportskeeda, he is an avid sports enthusiast.