Devendra Jhajharia is an Indian Paralympic javelin thrower competing in F46 events. He is the first Indian Paralympics player to win two gold medals at the Paralympics. He won his first gold in the javelin throw at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, becoming the second gold medalist at the Paralympics for his country. At the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, he won a second gold medal in the same event, bettering his previous record. Devendra is currently being supported by the Olympic Gold Quest. He becomes India's most decorated Paralympic player by winning his third medal, a silver at the 2020 Summer Paralympics at Tokyo.
In India, the sport of athletics was introduced during the period of the British Raj. The sport is governed at national level by the Athletics Federation of India, which was formed in 1946. Despite its large population, few Indian athletes have won a medal in a global or major championship. This began to change in the 21st century, when Indians started taking greater interest in athletics more generally and improved facilities for the sport began to be built at a local level. At a continental level, it has been among the more successful Asian nations, though some distance behind China and Japan.
Deepa Malik is an Indian athlete. She started her career at the age of 30. She is the first Indian woman to win a medal in Paralympic Games and won a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in shot put. She also won gold in the F-53/54 Javelin event at the para athletic Grand Prix held in Dubai in 2018. She is currently the world number one in the F-53 category. She has won accolades for her participation in various adventure sports. She is associated with Himalayan Motorsports Association (H.M.A.) and Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (F.M.S.C.I.). She has undertaken an 8-day, 1,700-km drive in sub-zero temperatures which included a climb to 18,000 feet (5,500 m). It was – Raid De Himalaya. This journey covers many difficult paths including remote Himalayas, Leh, Shimla and Jammu.
Georgina Hermitage, is a British former parasport athlete competing in T37 sprint events. In 2015, she qualified for the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, selected for the T37 100m and 200m. She took the gold in the 400m sprint, setting a new world record.
Samuel Harrison Carter is a Paralympic athlete, who competes in 100m, 200m, 400m T54 events. He has represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics and 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
Sandeep Singh Maan is an Indian Para athlete competing in Men's 100m, 200m, 400m and Long Jump events in the T46 category. He is bronze medallist in Asian Para Games 2018 held in Jakarta, Indonesia. And three time silver medallist from the Asian Para Games; he won them at the 2010 and 2014 editions in Guangzhou, China and Incheon, Korea, respectively. He received the Arjuna award in 2016 for his outstanding sporting achievements, the Maharana pratap Award in 2012 from state sports council of Rajasthan, and the Aravali Award in 2019. He is a national record holder in 200m and 400m since 2012. And now his goal is towards winning medal in coming Para Commonwealth games 2022.
Varun Singh Bhati is a para high jumper from India. He was afflicted by poliomyelitis at a young age, and joined sports during his school days. He has won several medals in international events including bronze at 2016 Summer Paralympic Games and 2017 World Para Athletics Championships.
James Michael Apsley Turner, is an Australian Paralympic athlete and soccer player with cerebral palsy. He has represented Australia as part of the Australia Paralympic soccer team, the ParaRoos, and was its player of the year in 2013. At the 2016 Summer Paralympics, he won the Men's 800m T36 in a world record time of 2:02.39. He won a gold and silver medal at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. At the World Para Athletics Championships from 2017 to 2023, he has won 7 gold medals.
Mariyappan Thangavelu is an Indian Paralympic high jumper. He represented India in the 2016 Summer Paralympics games held in Rio de Janeiro in the men's high jump T-42 category and the 2020 Summer Paralympic games held in Tokyo in the men's high jump T-63 category, winning the gold medal and silver medal respectively in the finals. He is India's first Paralympian gold medalist since 2004.
Sharad Kumar is an Indian para high jumper and a former world no. 1. Born in Muzaffarpur, he made his International debut at the 2010 Asian Para Games. At the 2014 Asian Para Games, he won the gold medal in the high jump (T42), breaking a 12-year Asian Games record, and reclaimed the world no. 1 position. Kumar participated in the 2016 Summer Paralympics finishing sixth. He won Silver in 2017 World ParaAthletics Championships. He is supported by GoSports Foundation through the Para Champions Programme.
Herath Mudiyansalage Dinesh Priyantha, also simply known as Dinesh Priyantha, is a Sri Lankan Paralympic track and field athlete who competes in javelin T46 events. He also served as an important member for the Sri Lanka Army during the Sri Lankan Civil War. He was disabled after being shot at his left arm during the final stages of the war. He is the defending Paralympic champion in men's javelin throw F46 category. On 30 August 2021, he became the first ever Sri Lankan to win a gold medal at the Paralympics when he won the men's javelin throw F46 category. He is the current Paralympic and World record holder in men's javelin throw for F46 category.
Ekta Bhyan is a para athlete who represents India in the women's Club and Discus throw events. She represented the country at the 2018 Asian Para Games held at Jakarta, Indonesia and won gold medal in the club throw event. She qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, following her second consecutive appearance in the World Para Athletics Championships. She has also represented India at the World Para Athletics Championships 2023, Paris, and won the Bronze medal at Club Throw. She has also competed and won medals in several IPC Grand Prix held at Berlin in 2016, Dubai in 2017, Tunisia in 2018 and Dubai in 2023. Ekta also won a bronze medal at the Asian Para Games held in Hangzhou, China in the Club Throw event.
Jayanti Behera is a track & field paralympic athlete who represents India in the Women's 200m, 400m, and 800m event. She is a world youth champion in the TR 400m event and she has also won the gold medal at the recent National Para Athletics Championships 2018 in Panchkula. She is supported by the GoSports Foundation through the Para Champions Programme.
India competed in the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan, from 24 August to 5 September 2021. Indian athletes have appeared in every edition of the Summer Paralympics since 1984, though they made their official debut at the 1968 Summer Paralympics. This was India's most successful Paralympic season with 5 golds 8 silvers and 6 bronzes. Before this edition, India had won 12 medals of all previous Paralympics appearances combined.
Sandeep Chaudhary is an Indian track and field para-athlete who competes in javelin throw.
Sumit Antil is an Indian paralympian and javelin thrower. He won gold medals in men's javelin throw F64 category at the 2020 Summer Paralympics and the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships. He holds the current world record, having thrown 73.29 meters at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou.
Vinay Kumar Lal is an Indian Para athlete competing in Men's 100m, 200m, 400m events in the T44 category. He is bronze medallist in Asian Para Games 2018 held in Jakarta, Indonesia. He also won bronze medal in 2019 World Para Athletics Championships held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Deepthi Jeevanji is an Indian para-athlete from Telangana. She takes part in the women’s 400 meters T20 run. In the Para Athletic World Championship 2024 at Kobe, Japan, she set a world record in the 400m T20 category clocking 55.06 sec on 20 May 2024. She also qualified for the Paris Paralympics. Earlier, she set the Asian Para Games record in 2023. She broke the record of American Breanna Clark, which stood at 55.12s.
Nimisha Suresh Chakkungalparambil is an Indian para-athlete from Kerala. She competes in the women's T47 long jump event. and women's T47 long jump events. She was selected for the Indian team that took part in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Para Games. She won the T47 long jump gold medal on 25 October 2023.
Rakshitha Raju, a visually challenged runner from India, is a para athlete from Chikkamagalur in Karnataka. She takes part in the women's 1500 metres T11 category. She was selected for the Indian team that took part in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Para Games. She won the gold medal Asian Para Games behind China's Shanshan He. Later, Shanshan was disqualified and Raju was promoted to take the gold medal. She clocked 5 minutes, 21.45 seconds. Being a visually handicapped runner, Rakshitha completed the race with the help of a guide Rahul Balakrishna.
