From 2020 till now, the Paralympic Games have seen a lot of changes, including the addition of new sports and the implementation of more inclusive policies to promote diversity and accessibility.
However, one thing that remains constant is the enthusiastic spirit of the Indian athletes, who remained dedicated and determined to showcase their talents on the international stage.
This article compares Indian athletes' performance from the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics to the 2024 Paris Paralympics, highlighting their growth and achievements in a variety of sports.
It also discusses the impact of increased support and resources on their training and preparation, leading to improved results and increased recognition on a global scale.
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Indian Athletes Medal Tally: Tokyo Paralympics vs. Paris Paralympics
Here's the list of the Indian athletes who have participated in both the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics and the 2024 Paris Paralympic games and clinched medals for the country:
| Athlete | Sport | Medal Count in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics | Medal Count in the 2024 Paris Paralympics | Event |
| Harvinder Singh | Para Archery | Bronze | Gold | Men's individual recurve - open archery |
| Rakesh Kumar | Para Archery | 5th rank | Bronze | Mixed Team Compound Open |
| Sheetal Devi | Para Archery | - | Bronze | Women’s individual compound open, Mixed team compound open |
| Deepthi Jeevanji | Para Athletics | - | Bronze | Women’s 400m |
| Sumit Antil | Para Athletics | Gold | Gold | Men's javelin throw F64 |
| Ajeet Singh | Para Athletics | 8th rank | Silver | Men's javelin throw |
| Navdeep | Para Athletics | 4th rank | Gold | Men's javelin throw |
| Yogesh Kathuniya | Para Athletics | Silver | Silver | Men's discus throw |
| Dharambir | Para Athletics | 8th | Gold | Men’s club throw |
| Nishad Kumar | Para Athletics | Silver | Silver | Men’s high jump |
| Mariyappan Thangavelu | Para Athletics | Silver | Bronze | Men’s high jump |
| Sachin Sarjerao Khilari | Para Athletics | - | Silver | Men’s shot put |
| Preethi Pal | Para Athletics | - | (2) Bronze | Women’s 100m, 200m |
| Parveen Kumar | Para Athletics | - | Gold | Men’s javelin throw |
| Sundar Singh Gurjar | Para Athletics | Bronze | Bronze | Men’s javelin throw |
| Sharad Kumar | Para Athletics | Bronze | Silver | Men’s high jump |
| Pranav Soorma | Para Athletics | - | Silver | Men’s club throw |
| Praveen Kumar | Para Athletics | Silver | - | Men’s high jump |
| Hokato Sema | Para Athletics | - | Bronze | Men’s shot put |
| Simran | Para Athletics | - | Bronze | Women’s 100m, 200m |
| Manoj Sarkar | Para Badminton | Bronze | - | Men’s singles |
| Nitesh Kumar | Para Badminton | - | Gold | Men’s singles |
| Krishna Nagar | Para Badminton | Gold | - | Men’s singles |
| Suhas Yathiraj | Para Badminton | Silver | Silver | Men’s singles |
| Manisha Ramadass | Para Badminton | - | Bronze | Women’s singles |
| Thulasimathi Murugesan | Para Badminton | - | Silver | Women's Singles |
| Nithya Sre Sivan | Para Badminton | - | Bronze | Women’s singles |
| Kapil Parmar | Blind Judo | - | Bronze | Men’s 60kg |
| Avani Lekhara | Para Shooting | Gold & Bronze | Gold | Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 |
| Mona Agarwal | Para Shooting | - | Bronze | R2 - Women’s 10m air rifle standing, R6 - Mixed 50m rifle prone, R8 - Women’s 50m rifle 3 positions |
| Manish Narwal | Para Shooting | Gold | Silver | P1 - Men’s 10m air pistol |
| Rubina Francis | Para Shooting | - | Bronze | P2 - Women’s 10m air pistol |
| Bhavinaben Patel | Para Table Tennis | Silver | - | Women’s singles table tennis Class 4 category |
| Total Medal Count | 19 | 29 | - | |
Source: Paralympic.org
In the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, India sent a contingent of 54 athletes, and India won a staggering 19 medals, including 5 golds.
However, in this recent 2024 Paris Paralympics, India sent a total of 84 athletes, showcasing the country's commitment to para sports. Due to this, India won 29 medals, including 7 golds, 9 silvers, and 13 bronzes.
The para-athlete who repeatedly performed exceptionally well in their category is Harvinder Singh, who won bronze in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, and this time he created history by becoming the first Indian archer to win a gold medal in the Paralympics.
Another standout performer was Avani Lekhara, who won a gold and bronze in shooting events in Tokyo and added another gold to her tally in Paris.
Similarly, Sumit Antil, who won gold in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, again won gold in the 2024 Paris Paralympics with a new world record in the javelin throw event.
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Furthermore, Yogesh Kathuniya and Nishad Kumar, who won silver in the previous 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, again won silver in the 2024 Paris Paralympics in discus throw and high jump, respectively.
Mariyappan Thangavelu, who also won a silver medal in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, this time missed a chance but maintained to secure bronze in the 2024 Paris Paralympics in the high jump event.
Similarly, Devendra Jhajharia, who won bronze in Tokyo, also secured a bronze in Paris in the javelin throw event.
Sharad Kumar, who won bronze in the previous 2020 Paralympic, this time won silver in the high jump event in the 2024 Paris Paralympics, showcasing consistent performance at the elite level.
Similarly, Suhas Yathiraj, who clinched silver in the 2020 Paralympics, continued his success by winning silver in the 2024 Paris Paralympics in the badminton event.
How can we forget our golden star boy, Manish Narwal, who clinched gold in the 2024 Paris Paralympics in the shooting event, adding another remarkable achievement to his already impressive career.
However, many paralympic athletes who participated in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics didn't participate in the 2024 Paris Paralympics. These athletes are Singhraj Adhana, who won silver and bronze in the men's 50m pistol SH1 and men's 10m air pistol shooting SH1.
Then we've got Pramod Bhagat, who won gold in the men's singles badminton SL3, and Devendra Jhajharia, who secured silver in the men's javelin throw F46.
All of these athletes have shown remarkable dedication and skill in their respective sports, making them true inspirations for aspiring Paralympic athletes around the world. Their achievements have undoubtedly left a lasting impact on the world of adaptive sports.
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