Deepa Malik expects a rich medal-haul in Paris

Deepa Malik, the former president of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), expects a rich medal haul at this year's Paralympic Games in Paris.

A bullish Malik has said that she expects 25 to 30 medals from India’s paralympic contingent this time around.

Malik, who served as the president of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) from 2020 until March this year, remarked on India's significant performance improvements over the years and expressed a desire to see more women winning medals.

“In the 2012 London Paralympics, no woman represented India, and we secured only one medal. In the 2016 Rio Paralympics, 19 athletes represented the country in five-sports disciplines, and we won four medals. In the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, three women won medals, and our 54-member contingent brought home 19 medals,” she said.

"Until March, I was the PCI president, so I can't shy away from my responsibility. I am tracking the progress of our para athletes and expect 25-30 medals in Paris," she added.

"With a total of 12 sports and a squad of 80-plus athletes, the graph is going up for India. It is a good time for para athletes," she concluded.

An accomplished athlete

Malik, a versatile athlete herself, is the only Indian woman to win medals in three consecutive Asian Para Games (2010, 2014, 2018).

She then made history as the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympic Games, securing a silver in shot put at the 2016 Rio Summer Paralympics.

Her impressive accomplishments extend beyond this milestone.

In 2018, she clinched gold in the F-53/54 javelin event at the Para Athletic Grand Prix in Dubai. Additionally, Malik boasts of multiple titles from Asian and World Championships.

In 2017, Malik was conferred the prestigious Padma Shri award.