Celebrating India’s Success at the Paris Paralympics

NEW DELHI: In a proud moment for India, Avani Lekhara secured the country’s first gold medal at the Paris Paralympics, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi wasted no time in congratulating her. Avani, who had previously won gold in Tokyo, displayed exceptional skill in the women’s 10m air rifle final, scoring a personal best of 249.7 points. This victory marked India’s first double podium finish in the event, with Mona Agarwal claiming the bronze medal.

During a telephonic conversation, PM Modi commended Avani for her outstanding performance, saying, “Avani, many congratulations to you. You are constantly performing well and keep working hard.” Avani, in turn, thanked PM Modi for his words of motivation, which helped her overcome the pressure of the competition. She shared, “This is my second Paralympics. I was a bit nervous. But you said not to play under the pressure of expectations, and I followed your advice.”

PM Modi also recognized the achievements of other medalists from the Paris Paralympics, including Mona, Preeti Pal, Rubina Francis, and Manish Narwal. Manish secured a silver medal in the men’s 10m air pistol SH1 category, staging an impressive comeback to finish in second place. Rubina earned a bronze in the Women’s 10m Air Pistol SH-1 final, while Preeti claimed bronze medals in both the 100m T35 and 200m T-35 events. Nishad Kumar secured a silver medal in the men’s high jump T47 event, and Yogesh Kathuniya contributed a silver in the men’s Discus Throw F56 final.

Shuttler Nitesh Kumar added to India’s medal tally by clinching a gold medal in the men’s singles SL3 category, defeating Great Britain’s Daniel Bethell. India’s athletes have demonstrated exceptional talent and determination, bringing pride to the nation and inspiring future generations of para-athletes.