Indian Para-athletes have made the nation proud by putting up historic performances at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. The event has been stellar for India with a record 84 para-athletes representing the nation from August 28 to September 8. Competing across 12 disciplines, three more than at Tokyo 2020, Indian athletes have showcased their prowess by shattering ceilings and breaking records across all categories. 

However, while the Paralympics and the Olympics are both prestigious international sporting events celebrating the pinnacle of athletic achievement, the Olympics enjoy extensive global attention while the Paralympics often struggle to garner the same level of visibility. Many events are not broadcast live, and the media attention they receive is often limited to highlights or brief summaries. However, India’s performance at the recent Paralympics event signals a dynamic shift in the public perception and biases, as we will explore.  

India’s para-athletes outperform the Olympians 

Paralympic Committee of India, President Devendra Jhajharia had set a goal of winning at least 25 medals at the Paralympics. India’s para-athletes have secured a total of 27 medals – six golds, nine silvers, and twelve bronze – so far, making Paris 2024 the most successful Paralympics in India’s history in terms of medal tally. Not only this, but India’s performance in the Paralympics is also a stark contrast to the nation’s performance in the Olympics. India bagged six medals in total at the Paris 2024 Olympics, taking its overall tally of medals at the Summer Games to 41. 

The country matched its joint-second best performance in a single edition of the Summer Games. It was one short of the record set at the Tokyo 2020 games with 7 medals, which included one gold medal in Javelin throw by Neeraj Chopra. In contrast, the country scored a whopping 19 medals in the Tokyo Paralympics event – five golds, eight silvers and six bronze. 

However, the country did not score any gold medals in 2024, bringing home one silver and 5 bronze. India was placed 71st in the medal tally among 84 countries that participated at the Paris Olympics.  

India’s performance in 2020 was a dramatic uplift from the lackluster exhibition in the 2016 Rio Olympics, where the country only bagged 2 medals – a silver by shuttler PV Sindhu and a bronze by wrestler Sakshi Malik. Conversely, India’s performance at the 2016 Rio Paralympics equaled its best performance at the event in 1984 with a haul of 4 medals.  

The Disparity in Coverage of Paralympics and Olympics 

India’s impressive haul at the Paralympics hints at a dynamic shift where Indians will be eager to see the gems of India shine at the Paralympics as well as the Olympics. The historic exhibition of the 2024 Paralympics contingent brings the disabled and the physically challenged into the spotlight. 

There is a lingering societal bias that views sports involving physically challenged athletes as less competitive or exciting. This misconception reduces the perceived value of Paralympic events in the eyes of broadcasters and advertisers. 

Moreover, Paralympic athletes often struggle to gain the same level of recognition and sponsorship as their Olympic counterparts. This was evident by the contrasting attention received by shooter Manu Bhaker’s historic double bronze haul as compared to para-shooter Avani Lekhara’s monumental two golds, which standsimpressive, looking at the overall history of India at Olympics. While Lekhara’s achievement was praised extensively, the opportunities and the coverage that the para-athlete received pale in comparison to the amenities showered on her able-bodied counterpart. 

Highlights of Paramlypics so far 

Avani Lekhara’s Golden Performance  

Avani became the first Indian woman to win two gold medals at the Paralympic Games, defending her title in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 shooting event with a world record score. Mona Agarwal’s bronze in the same event marked India’s first double podium finish at the Paralympics. 

Athletics 

India recorded a one-two finish in athletics for the first time, with Dharambir and Parnav Soorma clinching gold and silver, respectively, in the men’s club throw F51 event. Dharambir set a new Asian record of 34.92m. Praveen Kumar also set an Asian record to win the high jump T64 title, securing India’s sixth gold, the highest ever at the Paralympics. 

Archery

Armless archer Sheetal Devi briefly set a world record in the ranking round before finishing second. She teamed up with Rakesh Kumar to achieve a world record score in the compound mixed team qualification event. At just 17 years old, Sheetal became India’s youngest Paralympic medallist, winning bronze in the mixed team event alongside Rakesh. Harvinder Singh became India’s first-ever Paralympic champion in archery. 

Javelin Throw

Sumit Antil made history as the first Indian man to defend his title at the Paralympics, winning gold in the men’s javelin throw F64 with a stunning throw of 70.59 meters, setting a new Paralympic record. Sumit broke his own previous record from Tokyo 2020 three times during the competition. 

High Jump 

Mariyappan Thangavelu won bronze in the high jump T42 class, becoming the first Indian to win medals at three consecutive Paralympics. He previously won gold at Rio 2016 and silver at Tokyo 2020. 

Track Events  

Preethi Pal secured bronze in the women’s 100m T35 race with a personal best time, marking India’s first-ever medal in a track event at the Paralympics. She also won bronze in the 200m T35 race. Deepthi Jeevanji became the first intellectually impaired Indian athlete to win a Paralympic medal with a bronze in the women’s 400m T20 class. 

The disparity in media coverage between the Paralympics and the Olympics reflects broader societal biases and commercial interests. However, media should strive towards a more inclusive and equitable representation of all athletes by recognizing the value and importance of Paralympic sports and taking concerted steps to address the coverage gap. The historic performance of India’s jewels at 2024 Paris Paralympics demonstrates that physically challenged athletes are just as capable of inspiring and captivating audiences as their Olympic counterparts.