New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met the Indian contingent of Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games at his residence today.
The Contingent included para-athletes as well as coaches.
Prime Minister had a candid and informal interaction with the entire contingent. He congratulated them for their record breaking historic performance at the Games.
Prime Minister especially praised the indomitable spirit and will power of the Contingent and said that the performance is praiseworthy in light of the insurmountable odds that the para-athletes have overcome in their lives.
Boosting the morale of those who couldn’t achieve a podium finish, the Prime Minister said that a true sportsperson does-not get bogged down by defeat or victory, and keeps on moving forward. He said that they are ambassadors of the country, and they have increased the prestige of the nation on the world stage through their remarkable performance.
Prime Minister said that through their ‘tapasya, purushartha and parakram’, the para-athletes have changed the way people look at them. He said that in this period of celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, they should identify a few areas outside of the world of sports and explore how they can motivate people and help bring change.
Several players gifted their signed sporting equipment, with which they won their medals, to the Prime Minister. A stole, signed by all medalists, was also gifted to the Prime Minister. He said that the sporting equipment would be auctioned and was welcomed by the athletes. Union Sports Minister and Union Law Minister were also present on the occasion.
The Indian contingent finished their campaign at the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020 at an all-time high by securing a total of 19 medals which includes 5 gold, 8 silver, and 6 bronze medals.
India sent its biggest ever contingent of 54 para-athletes across as many as 9 sporting disciplines to the Games. Badminton and Taekwondo made their debut in Tokyo, both of which were represented by India.
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