A candid conversation with the champions of Asian Para Games who brought the glory of 111 medals

111 became India's lucky number as Indian athletes continued to back the country’s Olympic-size dreams at the Para Asian Games with a historical magnitude at Hangzhou in China. India's largest contingent comprising of 303 athletes created 6 world records, 13 Asian records, and 15 Asian Para Games. India finished fifth on the Asian Para Games 2023 behind hosts China, Iran, Japan and the Republic of Korea with 29 gold, 31 silver and 51 bronze at the Asian Para Games. Just hours before the Asian Para rich haul met PM Modi, Republic TV exclusively spoke to several record makers and champions who contributed to donning a clean sweep for the nation in para games this time in China.

One among them is an Indian para-athlete Pranav Soorma who clinched a Gold medal with a record 30.01m throw in the men's club throw F51 event. He made his debut in the Asian Games 2023 with a gold on 23rd of October, giving India its 4th Gold as soon as the games started. Speaking to Republic TV, an elated Pranav spoke about his win and said, "With an astounding power, came great sense of responsibility. The category in which I have played in falls in the most severe disabled one and overcoming the shortcomings was possible only due to the continuous support from my family & coaches. This is not just my victory; this victory is dedicated to all those who have supported me throughout the tough times. I was a very active student in sports but never thought of it as a professional career. I suffer due to a spinal cord injury and got it due to an accident in 2011 but that never stopped me from dreaming big. Meeting with an accident at the age of 16 which gave him an injury for life, didn't alter his grit to achieve greater heights". Speaking on dealing with negativity he said, “I was pressurised but I feel little pressure brings the best out of you. I didn't let the pressure bring me down, gave it all and today I have the results in front of me.”

A few words from Para-athletes who brought laurels for India at Asian Para Games 2023

Another Indian Para Athlete who scripted history and broke his own record is a world record holder and Gold Medallist Sumit Antil, who hails from Haryana's Sonepat, and had lost his left leg below the knee after he was involved in a motorbike accident in 2015 at a young age of 17. Antil was an able-bodied wrestler before the unfortunate accident. A para-athlete in his village initiated him to javelin throw in 2018. The 25-year-old clinched a gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games javelin throw F64 event with a world record effort of 73.29m on the third day of competitions and broke his own previous world record of 70.83m which he had thrown while winning gold at the World Para Athletics Championships in Paris earlier this year. 'This is not mine; this medal is of all the supporters and people of my team. I'm grateful for this team. I want my world record to be broken by an Indian only, don't want any outsider to do so,' said Antil while speaking of his journey to bag a Gold. On a message for all the aspiring athletes, Antil said one should never give up no matter what and with consistency and patience, one can achieve whatever they aspire to do so. 'I'm happy to have bagged gold but now I hope to perform better than this the next time. There's more distance to cover, and I want to go beyond breaking my own world record in the upcoming Kobe World championship. My entire team keeps me motivated. My coach & my physio, they never let us feel demotivated and I think that's where I get my most strength from,' said Antil candidly while addressing how he kept himself pumped to prepare for the completion.=

Yogesh Kathuniya, who is another young para-athlete which India produced is an Arjuna Awadree who represented India in the men's discus throw F56 at the 2020 Summer Paralympics and won a silver medal. In 2021 Kathuniya was awarded the Arjuna Award for his silver medal at the 2020 Summer Paralympics by the then President of India, Ram Nath Kovind. 

'I am very happy, I simply cannot express my feelings of having bagged a medal for the nation. I started in 2017 and my friend told me about para sports. In 2018, I made my debut to para games, and I improved myself in 2019 and clinched a bronze medal & then a silver medal in Tokyo championship and then a silver medal during the Asian games this year. Next year, I'm just focused to add Gold to my kitty. I'm very motivated to get a golden color reward of my performance and hard work. With every win, I get more committed to prepare for just gold,' said Kathuniya with a wide smile and hope in his eyes. On feeling excited to be received and felicitated by PM Modi, he said, ‘’I met PM Modi few days back at the Delhi University centenary celebrations.’'

'When I witness that PM Modi is working so hard at this age, I too get a feeling…': Para-athlete Yogesh Kathuniya

‘’I am very excited to meet PM Modi now. He always inspires me. His attitude towards the nation keeps me super inspired and when I witness that he's working so hard at this age as well, I too get a feeling that I should contribute more to my nation,'' Kathuniya expressed. Sharing details of his future plans, he said, 'I am preparing for next year Paris Paralympics. One biggest lesson from these games so far is that you need to give time to your recovery. I have met with several accidents in past. So, one should never be demotivated due to shortcomings. I didn't take a break from the past 2.5 years, so I'll take it now.'

Sharing the experience of heading the team of Indian para athletes at the Para Games, the president of the Para Olympics committee Deepa Malik, said, ‘’I see this performance by all our 303 para-athletes during the Asian games as just the beginning. Now India has woken up. The day PM Modi coined the word 'Divyang' in his speech and his addresses, the road to emerge as empowered for all the people with disabilities begun. I simply want to say that we all have just started. The science to encourage and assist people with disabilities has been developed and initiatives have begun implementing. To get great medals, we need great science, great technology, better investments, better training. There were so many times India's flag was higher than the Japanese colour or any other colour at the Games and we have simply exhibited how India does a clean sweep when it comes to Sport. The culture has become in India to love sports rather than just cricket.''

On being felicitated by PM Modi and the contributions by the government to the sector of sports, she added, 'It's very encouraging to feel that our PM will welcome us. We say this with pride and collars up that our PM stands with us. All our medal winner athletes look forward to this one moment. There's not a single medal winner athlete that hasn't been given acknowledgement and appreciation by PM Modi and this gives us immense great standing internationally. The globe is looking at India as an emerging sporting country. His emphasis on persons with disability in Mann ki baat also keeps us motivated and puts a great onus on the responsibility to achieve higher lengths.''