In a moment of national pride, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted India’s Paralympic athletes at his residence following their historic performance at the Paris Paralympic Games. India achieved its highest-ever medal tally at the Paralympics, securing 29 medals in total: seven Gold, nine Silver, and 13 Bronze. This surpasses the previous record of 19 medals from the Tokyo Games.
Historic Achievements
The athletes, who returned to India on September 10, were first greeted by PM Modi before attending a formal felicitation ceremony in New Delhi. The Prime Minister expressed his admiration and invited the athletes to share their experiences from the games.
Javelin thrower Sumit Antil, who successfully defended his Gold medal with a throw of 70.11 meters, dedicated his victory to the Prime Minister. “This is my back-to-back second Gold medal. I still remember when I won the Gold in Tokyo, you took a promise from me that ‘I want two Gold medals from you’. So, the second one is for you,” Antil said, referring to his previous conversation with Modi where he was encouraged to win again. Antil expressed his gratitude for the support he received and shared how the Prime Minister’s words motivated him.
Athlete Experiences
Other athletes, including Nishad Kumar, Kapil Parmar, Yogesh Kathunia, Simran Sharma, Avani Lekhara, Sheetal Devi, Preethi Pal, Rakesh Kumar, and Harvinder Singh, also shared their stories and experiences with PM Modi. The interaction was filled with laughter, emotion, and tales of resilience. PM Modi took the opportunity to introduce athletes like Navdeep, who revealed that his celebration reels had gained popularity. Navdeep shared how he initially felt nervous but found inspiration and calm from senior athletes such as Sumit and others.
A Moment of National Pride
The meeting with PM Modi was not just a celebration of their achievements but also a recognition of the athletes’ hard work and perseverance. The stories shared included behind-the-scenes moments and the personal challenges each athlete overcame to reach their goals. The Prime Minister’s interaction with the athletes highlighted the significance of their victories and the broader impact of their success on national pride.
The felicitation ceremony was a testament to the athletes’ dedication and the support they received from various quarters, including the Prime Minister. The event underscored the importance of celebrating and encouraging such achievements, which inspire and uplift the entire nation.
