Anurag Singh Thakur Union Minister for Sports , Youth Affairs and Information and Broadcasting felicitated India’s Olympic and Para Olympics winners at the DAV Sports Conclave organised by the DAV United Foundation in Delhi on Friday.
The felicitation ceremony was a befitting honour for India’s Paralympics champions who have created history by winning 19 medals at the Tokyo Paralympic games in September for the first time in history of Para Olympics for India.
India’s greatest all round Cricket star Kapil Dev, who is also a DAV Chandigarh product, a guest of honour and DAV Managing committee President Poonam Suri and other dignitaries were present on the occasion to honour and felicitate India’s special Olympics champions.
India won its best ever 19 Paralympic medals- five gold, eight silver and six bronze and was placed at 23rd position in the world, with China topping the medal tally winning 207 medals, followed by Great Britain(124), US (104) and Russia (RPC) 118 medals.
In Tokyo Summer Olympics India won seven medals- one gold, two silvers, four bronze. India was placed at 48th position while US topped with 113 medals, followed by China (88) Japan (58) Great Britain( 65).
The Sports Conclave got worldwide applause not only from the DAV’s nine million alumni across the world, but also from the lovers of sports and common citizens in the country. DAV Managing committee is running its institutions in remote region in tribal areas of Himachal and other in Himalayan states imparting quality education to the mountain people.
The shooter Avani Lekhana became the first woman to win two Paralympic gold medals in India. A 19 years old Manish Narval, a world record holder in P4 mixed 50m pistol, SHI, created Paralympic world record and won the gold medal. Bhavina Patel won silver in table tennis, Harvinder Sinhg won medal in archery.
Kapil Dev said the conclaves was a great gesture on the part of the DAV united to spread the sports culture and spirit among the youth including special children in India. All organisations should come forward to promote sports at all levels.
Anurag Thakur said it was India's best ever Paralympics performance with Indian squad winning 19 medals for the first time in the history. Such conclave act as springboard for promotion of sports culture among the youth spreading spirit of competency, brotherhood and good health and philanthropy, he adds.
