New Delhi, Sep 4 : Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya felicitated the Indian Para-Badminton contingent on their return to India here on Wednesday. India achieved its best-ever performance in Para-badminton, in terms of total medals won, claiming five medals (1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze) in Paris 2024.

'So far in the Paralympics, our players have won 3 gold, 7 silver and 10 bronze medals. In the coming days, our players will play for 11 medals. I am confident that we will get better success. In the last Paralympics, our players had won 19 medals. But this time till now our players have won 20 medals i.e. our performance has been better than Tokyo Paralympics, we should encourage our players more and use the hashtag Cheer4Bharat to show our support," Dr. Mandaviya told IANS.

Addressing the athletes, Dr. Mandaviya expressed immense pride in their achievements, stating, 'You have made the entire nation proud with your outstanding performance. Your dedication and spirit have set a new benchmark for Indian sports,' he said at the event.

For those athletes who narrowly missed out on medals, Dr. Mandaviya offered words of encouragement, saying, 'We haven't lost medals, we have gained invaluable experience. I am confident that in the future Paralympics, our medal count will further rise, and each of you will emerge as winners," he added.

Reflecting on India's progress in international sporting events, Dr. Mandaviya highlighted the country's improved performance in both the Olympics and Paralympics over the past decade. 'In the last 10 years, we have continuously improved our performance, proving our mettle on the global stage,' he noted.

The Union Minister further emphasised the government's commitment to supporting para-athletes with better facilities, training, and opportunities to help them excel at the highest levels. He assured the contingent of continued support and encouraged them to aim even higher in future competitions.

The five medal winners included Nitesh Kumar (gold), Suhas LY (silver), Thulasimathi Murugesan (silver), Nithya Sre (bronze) and Manisha Ramadass (bronze).

India has secured a total of 20 medals as of the end of events on September 3, 2024, surpassing the previous medal count of 19 achieved at the Tokyo Paralympics.

The para-athletes shared their experiences and expressed gratitude to the government for its support, especially under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). They credited the scheme for providing them with the necessary facilities and resources to excel in their respective sports.

A total of 19 foreign exposure trips were facilitated by the Government of India in the Paris Paralympics cycle for the 13 para shuttlers who participated in the games.

/IANS