India is gearing up for its largest ever Paralympic team, with 84 para-athletes preparing to make a splash at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. This is the biggest contingent India has sent to the event, blending youthful talent with experienced athletes. With a record-breaking 19 medals, including five gold, from the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, India's ambition for this year is to surpass 25 medals, aiming for a double-digit count in gold.

The motivation behind this goal is driven by the size of the team and their impressive performances over the past year. At the Hangzhou Asian Para Games last year, India achieved a record 111 medals, including 29 gold. The success continued at the World Para Athletics Championships in May, where the team won 17 medals, six of which were gold, securing a sixth-place finish overall.

Key athletes like Sumit Antil, a world record-holding javelin thrower, and Avani Lekhara, a rifle shooter, are returning to defend their gold medals from Tokyo. The Paralympic Games are not just about showcasing athletic ability but also about celebrating human endurance, with athletes classified based on their functional abilities in movement, coordination, and balance.

The para-athletics team has been a major contributor to India's medal tally in the past, and this year, it includes 38 athletes. Other strong contenders are para-archer Sheetal Devi, who uses her legs to shoot due to being born without arms, and landmine survivors Hokato Sema and Narayana Konganapalle, who compete in shot put and rowing, respectively.

India will be competing in 12 sports this time, up from nine in Tokyo, reflecting the expanded scope of the team. Shooter Manish Narwal and shuttler Krishna Nagar are among those aiming to repeat their gold medal performances from Tokyo.

Antil, who lost his left leg in an accident at 17, is hopeful of surpassing the 75-meter mark in Paris, aiming to repeat his success from the World Para Championships. Lekhara, who won one gold and one bronze in Tokyo, is poised to add to her achievements and potentially join the elite group of multi-medal winners.

The current Paralympics Committee of India (PCI) President, Devendra Jhajharia, a highly decorated para-athlete, holds two gold medals and one silver from previous Games. Other prominent athletes include Deepthi Jeevanji, Mariyappan Thangavelu, and Yogesh Kathuniya, each aiming to enhance their Paralympic medal counts.

Shuttler Krishna Nagar, overcoming his height disadvantage, is expected to defend his gold medal. However, Pramod Bhagat, another Tokyo gold medalist, is currently suspended due to a regulatory issue. Suhas Yathiraj, who won silver in Tokyo, is also a strong medal contender.

In para-archery, athletes Sheetal Devi and Harvinder Singh are expected to compete strongly, with Sheetal recently winning two golds and a silver at the Asian Para Games. Bhavinaben Patel, who won silver in Tokyo's table tennis, aims to improve her medal color this time.

For the opening ceremony, Antil and shot putter Bhagyashri Jadhav, who won a silver at the Asian Para Games, will serve as joint flag bearers. This year’s ceremony will be historic, taking place outside a stadium for the first time in Paralympic history.

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