New Delhi, India

In India, it isn't easy to keep cricket at a backseat. Workplace deadlines are given a miss. Leaves are consumed if Team India have a marquee series or World Cup in the pipeline. Thus, the India-England Tests commenced on August 2 and has lived upto expectations so far, with some pulsating affair between two top sides in the United Kingdom. Nonetheless, the inspiring journey of Indian athletes in Tokyo 2020 and Tokyo Paralympics have pushed the gentlemen's game, India's most adored game, to the back foot in the last few months. 

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While Tokyo 2020, which lasted from July 23-August 8, was a huge success for Team India and reignited the faith of the Indian sports audience towards hockey, wrestling and many other sports, the humongous success of para-athletes have been a new chapter of learning for the sports lovers nationwide.

With a total of 26 medals coming in for India, including both the Olympics, we look at some of the huge moments of pride provided by the women athletes in varied sports. 

1) Mirabai Chanu: After the shambles of Rio 2016, the 27-year-old weightlifter rose to the occasion on Day One of Tokyo 2020 with a silver medal in the 49kg category. Her success has paved way for many young athletes taking a liking towards the sport. A viral video of a young girl lifting weights, seeing Mirabai's podium finish, speaks volumes of her incredible success and overall impact. 

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ALSO READ | EXCLUSIVE | Dark clouds of struggle have a 'silver' lining for Mirabai Chanu's coach Vijay Sharma

2) Lovlina Borogohain: The youngster became the talk of the nation with a bronze medal finish, in the 69kg category, in Tokyo 2020. The boxer's resume is already a glittering one; being a World Championship medallist, Arjuna awardee and Asian Games medallist. Safe to say, Tokyo heroics is just a sneak peek of things to come from the boxer. 

3) Avani Lekhara: The story of the 19-year-old so far has been awe-inspiring. In her maiden Olympics, i.e. Tokyo Paralympics, she became the first-ever Indian woman Paralympian to win two medals. She won gold in 10m air-rifle SH1 standing final event and bronze in 50m rifle 3P SH1 shooting final. She is also India's first woman para-athlete to win gold. 

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4) Bhavina Patel: She became India's first-ever para-athlete to win a medal (silver) in table tennis at the Olympics. While she missed out on gold by a convincing margin, she made the whole nation beam with pride with her overall performance.

ALSO READ | Avani Lekhara to be India's flag bearer during Tokyo Paralympics 2020 closing ceremony

5) PV Sindhu, women's hockey team: The list cannot be complete with the omission of either of the two. While Sindhu displayed her experience and consistency with a bronze medal finish in Tokyo 2020, after silver in Rio 2016, the Rani Rampal-led women's team have revamped hockey despite returning with no medal. 

From battling early group stage elimination to beating pre-tournament favourites Australia (in the quarters) and losing to Great Britain 4-3 in the bronze-medal face-off, the women's team's impact was certainly more than the men's, who ended with bronze. Given how Rio 2016 was a forgettable affair for Rampal & Co., where they finished last, the fourth-spot finish is surely a strong base created for plenty of glory to follow in the near future.