Boria Majumdar in Paris
I had predicted 25 medals coming into the Paralympics. Now, I am adding one more to the tally. To finish with 50 percent more medals than what India had won in Tokyo – and with half of those won by women – the Paralympics contingent has turned a new leaf. The number of gold medals has not gone down either, and when you think that India missed out on a few certain golds – Thulasimathi Murugesan and Krishna Nagar, to name just two – you know that the story is positive and vibrant. India is on the right track and with adequate support, things will only go upwards from here on.
Can India win another gold is what many have asked me. Yes, we could have with Simran in the 200 metres, her pet event, but she couldn’t quite live up to expectations in the final. But India can expect one more medal and that should take the tally to a very impressive 26.
So, what is behind this change? With the sports media still choosing to stay away and cover from their armchairs back home in India, what is it that has worked for the Para athletes? Is it government support or support from the corporate sector? Is it about a wider societal recognition? Have the state governments become more responsive and has there been a change in mindset?
The truth is it is a combination of all of these factors. At 2am India time, when we did a live show celebrating Harvinder’s win, people were still watching back home. In fact, we did the show to check if anyone was still awake and following. Dharambir and Pranay Soorma had just won, and we were celebrating here in Paris. But in India, it was pretty late and I was sceptical if anyone was still up and watching. To my pleasant surprise, there were a flurry of comments the moment we went live and this, may I say, is what has changed.
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The common Indian now wants to know more about the Paralympics and it is their support that has forced the hand of many. The masses want to celebrate the athletes, and once that happens, the media will be forced to give the athletes their due. It is a simple market mechanism. If there is demand, the supply chain has to be readied and that’s how the movement can be made more popular and all-encompassing.
As I write this piece, I can see swimming being shown live in the Main Press Centre (MPC). Most of the televisions here have swimming on. There are 140 medals in the sport, and yet, there is not a single Indian who has made the cut. That’s where we can get better. If India identifies its sports and puts more and more athletes on the start line, this medal count could be close to 50 at Los Angeles 2028. From one medal in 2012 to 25-plus in 2024 is quite a jump. But now, we need that exponential push.
The foundation has been laid. We know we can. But can we now aspire to make it to the top 10 in the world? Get 50 medals and lead the way. That’s the next challenge for Devendra Jhajharia and his team. Make the movement all-encompassing and harness the talent we have. That’s the Viksit Bharat we want to see. And frankly, in para sport, it is possible way before 2047. As Sheetal Devi keeps saying, “If I can, everyone can.” Time to follow the youngster, and make the change. In doing so, we will be a better country and a better society.
Also Read: Harvinder highlights the collective, and downplays individual glory after mixed-medal miss