Tokyo Paralympics gold-medallist shuttler Pramod Bhagat on Friday said he is confident that India will double its medal count at the prestigious multi-sport event in Paris, which is just three years away.

India had returned with its best-ever performance from the Tokyo Paralympics, winning 19 medals -- five gold, eight silver, six bronze. The country's previous best tally at one edition of the Paralympic Games was four.

"I am confident that the medal tally will double (in Paris in 2024)," said the three-time world champion Bhagat, who claimed the yellow metal in the men's singles SL3 class, during a panel discussion at 'India Today Conclave'.

"Our Prime Minister is fully supportive of the athletes. The PCI is taking care of its athletes well, if the PM is with us and the facilities are being given, it is possible...."

Bhagat, who had contracted polio when he was 4 years old, picked up the sports after watching his neighbours play. Initially, he competed against able-bodied players before getting into competitive para badminton in 2006.

"The struggles in life teach us a lot and what we can achieve," the world no 1 Bhagat said.

"It is important how much confidence we have and not how much we train or play....It is important how you make up your mind and move forward."

Suhas Yathiraj, India's first-ever IAS officer to win a medal at the Paralympics, described Tokyo Paralympics as a watershed moment, saying it can provide a big boost to para sports just like winning the 1983 World Cup did to cricket in the country.

Yathiraj had claimed the silver in the men's singles SL4 class badminton event at Tokyo.

WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/neeraj-chopras-olympic-gold-winning-javelin-fetches-rs-15-million-in-e-auction-of-goods-gifted-to-pm-modi-418988">Neeraj Chopra's Olympic-gold winning javelin fetches Rs 15 million in E-auction of goods gifted to PM Modi</a>

"1983 was a watershed moment for Indian cricket when Kapil dev lifted the world cup. Similarly, 2020 Tokyo is a watershed moment for Indian paralympics. You will see a sea change in attitude," Yathiraj, the Noida District Magistrate, said.

"I see a huge difference in the way people perceive...Nothing succeeds like success. The way the country is celebrating both Olympic and paralympic medals is very good ... Awareness is increasing gradually."

Table tennis player Bhavina Patel, who clinched a historic silver medal on her Paralympic Games debut in Tokyo, said she was worried about qualifying for the Tokyo games when the pandemic struck and recalled the challenges she faced.

"It was a big challenge during the pandemic. First, I had to qualify for the Paralympis. With great difficulty, I could qualify for the Paralympics," said Patel, who became only the second Indian female athlete ever to win a medal at the Paralympics.

"Apart from training, fitness was a challenge but I was able to overcome them. During the pandemic, it was a blessing, I trained a lot and planned a lot for each player."

ALSO READ :&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-championships-2021-indias-anshu-malik-wins-historic-silver-sarita-bags-bronze-418994">World Championships 2021: India's Anshu Malik wins historic silver, Sarita bags bronze</a>

Paralympic Committee of India president Deepa Malik said accessibility would be key to developing para-sports in the country.

"Accessibility is not just physical, it has to be in the mindset as well. Unless we tap the grassroot and we create more arenas that are accessible and are universally accessible, it will always remain a chicken and egg story," she said.

"What will come first, more talent or the infrastructure. We really need to work on district level and on state policies. Thanks to these 19 medals a lot of states have revised their policies for para-sports."

Malik said she was ecstatic when Bhavina Patel won a silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympics.

"Bringing home the first medal was kind of a paradox for me because it had taken our country 72 years to create a female Paralympic medallist," said Malik, who won a silver medal in the 2016 Rio Paralympics.

"And I was most ecstatic the moment Bhavina (Patel) won a medal. I said, I am not alone here now, I have another silver smile shining over the tricolour

"I am very proud we are back with 19 medals. From 19 going to Rio in 2016 to 54 going to Tokyo. From 2 girls to 14 girls, we have come a long way....," she added.

Gaurav Khanna, Head National Coach, Indian Para-Badminton Team, was also present during the event.

Tokyo Paralympics gold-medallist shuttler Pramod Bhagat on Friday said he is confident that India will double its medal count at the prestigious multi-sport event in Paris, which is just three years away.

Tokyo Paralympics gold-medallist shuttler Pramod Bhagat on Friday said he is confident that India will double its medal count at the prestigious multi-sport event in Paris, which is just three years away. India had returned with its best-ever performance from the Tokyo Paralympics, winning 19 medals -- five gold, eight silver, six bronze. The country's previous best tally at one edition of the Paralympic Games was four. "I am confident that the medal tally will double (in Paris in 2024)," said the three-time world champion Bhagat, who claimed the yellow metal in the men's singles SL3 class, during a panel discussion at 'India Today Conclave'. "Our Prime Minister is fully supportive of the athletes. The PCI is taking care of its athletes well, if the PM is with us and the facilities are being given, it is possible...." Bhagat, who had contracted polio when he was 4 years old, picked up the sports after watching his neighbours play. Initially, he competed against able-bodied players before getting into competitive para badminton in 2006. "The struggles in life teach us a lot and what we can achieve," the world no 1 Bhagat said. "It is important how much confidence we have and not how much we train or play....It is important how you make up your mind and move forward." Suhas Yathiraj, India's first-ever IAS officer to win a medal at the Paralympics, described Tokyo Paralympics as a watershed moment, saying it can provide a big boost to para sports just like winning the 1983 World Cup did to cricket in the country. Yathiraj had claimed the silver in the men's singles SL4 class badminton event at Tokyo. WATCH | Neeraj Chopra's Olympic-gold winning javelin fetches Rs 15 million in E-auction of goods gifted to PM Modi "1983 was a watershed moment for Indian cricket when Kapil dev lifted the world cup. Similarly, 2020 Tokyo is a watershed moment for Indian paralympics. You will see a sea change in attitude," Yathiraj, the Noida District Magistrate, said. "I see a huge difference in the way people perceive...Nothing succeeds like success. The way the country is celebrating both Olympic and paralympic medals is very good ... Awareness is increasing gradually." Table tennis player Bhavina Patel, who clinched a historic silver medal on her Paralympic Games debut in Tokyo, said she was worried about qualifying for the Tokyo games when the pandemic struck and recalled the challenges she faced. "It was a big challenge during the pandemic. First, I had to qualify for the Paralympis. With great difficulty, I could qualify for the Paralympics," said Patel, who became only the second Indian female athlete ever to win a medal at the Paralympics. "Apart from training, fitness was a challenge but I was able to overcome them. During the pandemic, it was a blessing, I trained a lot and planned a lot for each player." ALSO READ : World Championships 2021: India's Anshu Malik wins historic silver, Sarita bags bronze Paralympic Committee of India president Deepa Malik said accessibility would be key to developing para-sports in the country. "Accessibility is not just physical, it has to be in the mindset as well. Unless we tap the grassroot and we create more arenas that are accessible and are universally accessible, it will always remain a chicken and egg story," she said. "What will come first, more talent or the infrastructure. We really need to work on district level and on state policies. Thanks to these 19 medals a lot of states have revised their policies for para-sports." Malik said she was ecstatic when Bhavina Patel won a silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympics. "Bringing home the first medal was kind of a paradox for me because it had taken our country 72 years to create a female Paralympic medallist," said Malik, who won a silver medal in the 2016 Rio Paralympics. "And I was most ecstatic the moment Bhavina (Patel) won a medal. I said, I am not alone here now, I have another silver smile shining over the tricolour "I am very proud we are back with 19 medals. From 19 going to Rio in 2016 to 54 going to Tokyo. From 2 girls to 14 girls, we have come a long way....," she added. Gaurav Khanna, Head National Coach, Indian Para-Badminton Team, was also present during the event.

India will double its medal tally in Paris Paralympics: Pramod Bhagat

Day two at the Rio Paralympics saw Indian athlete, Mariyappan Thangavelu, win India&#39;s first gold in the men&#39;s high jump T-42 event on Friday. 
 
While another Indian Varun Singh Bhati picked up a bronze for the same. 
 
Thangavelu clinched gold with a jump of 1.89m while Bhati scaled 1.68, winning a bronze India&#39;s state-run news channel Doordarshan said. 
 
India&#39;s sports ministry announced a cash prize of Rs 75 lakh for&nbsp;Mariyappan Thangavelu and R 30 lakh for&nbsp;Varun Singh Bhati. 
&nbsp;
<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Under Sports Ministry&#39;s Cash Award Scheme, Mariyappan will get 75 lac and Bhati 30 lac rupees. Congrats.
&mdash; Dept of Sports MYAS (@IndiaSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiaSports/status/774467845321285632">September 10, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
 
 
T42 is a disabilty sport classification for differently-abled athletes with single above the knee amputations or a disability that is comparable. 
 
After Paralympians Murlikant Petkar (Swimming in 1972) and Devendra Jhajharai (Javelin Throw in 2004), Thangavelu is the third Indian to win gold at the Paralympic Games. 
 
Thangavelu is from a small village, Periavadagampatti, 50 km from the town of Salem in southern Tamil Nadu state. 
 
A bus accident at the age of five left him permanently disabled. 
 
Varun Singh Bhati was born deformed, diagnosed with polio in one leg. The 21-year-old from the northern Uttar Pradesh state came fifth at the 2014 Asian Para Games in Korea and a gold at the 2014 China Open Athletics Championships. 
 
(WION with inputs from dna) 
 
 
&nbsp;

India's sports ministry announced a cash prize of Rs 75 lakh for?Mariyappan Thangavelu and Rs 30 lakh for?Varun Singh Bhati

Day two at the Rio Paralympics saw Indian athlete, Mariyappan Thangavelu, win India's first gold in the men's high jump T-42 event on Friday. While another Indian Varun Singh Bhati picked up a bronze for the same. Thangavelu clinched gold with a jump of 1.89m while Bhati scaled 1.68, winning a bronze India's state-run news channel Doordarshan said. India's sports ministry announced a cash prize of Rs 75 lakh for Mariyappan Thangavelu and R 30 lakh for Varun Singh Bhati. Under Sports Ministry's Cash Award Scheme, Mariyappan will get 75 lac and Bhati 30 lac rupees. Congrats. — Dept of Sports MYAS (@IndiaSports) September 10, 2016 T42 is a disabilty sport classification for differently-abled athletes with single above the knee amputations or a disability that is comparable. After Paralympians Murlikant Petkar (Swimming in 1972) and Devendra Jhajharai (Javelin Throw in 2004), Thangavelu is the third Indian to win gold at the Paralympic Games. Thangavelu is from a small village, Periavadagampatti, 50 km from the town of Salem in southern Tamil Nadu state. A bus accident at the age of five left him permanently disabled. Varun Singh Bhati was born deformed, diagnosed with polio in one leg. The 21-year-old from the northern Uttar Pradesh state came fifth at the 2014 Asian Para Games in Korea and a gold at the 2014 China Open Athletics Championships. (WION with inputs from dna)

Rio Paralympics: Thangavelu wins first gold for India, Bhati picks up bronze

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India will double its medal tally in Paris Paralympics: Pramod Bhagat

Rio Paralympics: Thangavelu wins first gold for India, Bhati picks up bronze