The best ever Olympics just went by for India and the country looks good for its best ever Paralympics with an unprecedented 54 inspirational athletes eyeing a medal haul that might just surpass the double digit figure for the first time at the showpiece, starting here on Tuesday.
The likes of star javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia and high jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu — both 2016 Rio Paralympics Gold winners — will lead the biggest ever contingent.
India is competing in nine sports in the Paralympics and the expectation of unprecedented success would not be wide off the mark as at least four Indians are ranked top of the world while six are at number two and around 10 are at number three in global standings.
Jhajharia, who lost his left hand due to electrocution as a child, is going strong even at 40 and is aiming for a hat-trick of Gold medals in the F-46 category after finishing on top of podium in 2004 and 2016. He is current world record holder in the event.
Mariyappan, who was permanent disabled at the age of five when a bus crushed his right leg below the knee, is another para athlete seeking to defend the Gold he had won in 2016 in T63 high jump, though he is currently ranked world number 2.
He will also hold the country’s flag during the opening ceremony on Tuesday.
World champion Sandeep Choudhary (F-64 javelin throw) is the third Gold medal contender from the 24-strong para athletics team. He is world number one and world record holder also.
Other medal prospects from para-athletics are reigning world champion Sundar Singh Gurjar and Ajeet Singh (also in F-46) and Navdeep Singh (F41) — all para-javelin throwers.
The Paralympic Committee of India is hoping to win 10 medals from para athletics.
Badminton will make its debut at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo and India have some of the brightest medal prospects.
World No 1 and multiple-time world champion Pramod Bhagat is a top Gold medal contender in men’s SL3 event.
World No 2 shuttler Krishna Nagar (SH6) and Tarun Dhillon (SL4) are other para shuttlers who are expected to do well.
The experienced Parul Parmar, a two-time former world championship Gold medallist, and young Palak Kohli (SL3-SU5), whose one hand did not develop properly at birth, will carry high hopes of returning with a medal in the women’s category.
India is also banking on its shooters and archers to rise to the occasion in Tokyo.
India’s campaign begins from August 25 with para table tennis players Bhavina Patel and Sonal Patel in action and India’s first medal is expected to come on Friday when para archery events begin. Once para athletics events begin on Saturday, a medal rush is expected to start.