Indian para athletes eye historic campaign at Asian Para Games 2023

New Delhi: Indian para athletes will be targeting a historic campaign at the upcoming Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China, from 22nd October.

The largest-ever contingent of Indian para athletes, consisting of 309 athletes, was given a send-off by the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) on Thursday.

India will participate in seventeen disciplines, including five sports — Canoe, Blind Football, Lawn Bowls, Rowing, and Taekwondo — for the very first time.

Indian contingent consists of a total of 196 male and 113 female athletes. Veteran shuttler Parul Parmar and shooter Amit Saroha will be India’s flag bearers at the marquee event.

Dr. Deepa Malik, President of the Paralympic Committee of India and an Asian Games medallist herself, expressed her gratitude for the overwhelming support, stating, "The path these athletes have walked has been filled with dedication, unwavering determination, and countless hours of hard work. Their participation in the 4th Asian Para Games is a testament to their unbreakable spirit and the support of IndianOil, the government, and all well-wishers who have been by their side."

India’s best performance at the Asian Para Games came in the 2018 edition in Jakarta, where the athletes won 72 medals, including 15 gold, 24 silver and 33 bronze.

Led by the likes of world record holder Sumit Antil, shooting prodigy Avani Lekhara, shuttler Pramod Bhagat and world champion archer Sheetal Devi, the Indian athletes will be targeting more than 100 medals much like their counterparts from the recently concluded Asian Games in Hangzhou, where India won historic 107 medals.

Talking about the forthcoming Games, Sumit said, “I am very excited about this opportunity, and it will be fun to represent India at a multi-sporting event again.”

The Asian Para Games will kick off on October 22 and go on till October 29 in Hangzhou, China.