New Delhi, Oct 6: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed India’s performance in the World Para Athletics Championships as historic, saying the country’s best-ever showing in the event will be a motivation for youngsters.
India won a record 22 medals, including six gold, nine silver and seven bronze, surpassing their best of 17 at the 2024 edition in Kobe, Japan.
“A historic performance by our para-athletes! This year’s World Para-Athletics Championships have been very special. The Indian contingent had its best-ever performance, winning 22 medals, including 6 Gold Medals. Congrats to our athletes,” wrote Modi on ‘X’ while posting an image of all the country’s medal winners.
“Their success will inspire several people. I am proud of each and every member of our contingent and wish them the very best for their future endeavours.” This was the first time India hosted the mega para athletics event, which witnessed more than 2,200 participants from 100-plus nations competing in 186 medal events.
“Hosting the tournament in Delhi has also been an honour for India. Gratitude to athletes and support staff from almost 100 nations who were a part of the tournament,” added Modi.
‘Accessible infrastructure crucial to Olympic bid’
Paralympic Committee of India President Devendra Jhajharia and the accessibility partner of the just-concluded World Para-Athletics Championships feel a large-scale upgrade of India’s infrastructure for differently-abled is needed keeping in mind the country’s bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the 2036 Olympics.
Svayam provided accessible transportation for the para-athletes who competed at the championships which ended on Sunday.
“…we saw the importance of inculcating accessibility in major sporting events and with India’s ambition to host 2036 Olympics, the need for accessibility to be mainstreamed as a priority rather than an afterthought has never been more crucial,” Jhajharia said at an event here.
The Olympic Games and the Paralympics have been held at the same venue since 1988.
Svayam’s Founder-Chairperson Sminu Jindal also highlighted the critical need for inclusive infrastructure across tourism, transport, hospitality, sports, and public spaces to add weight to the bids for the two big events.
“…after the successful hosting of this world-class event, the need for accessible infrastructure and transport as key elements to host successful international sporting events has become more evident than ever,” she said at an event here.
“Accessible infrastructure is smart planning that benefits everyone while strengthening the economy. Accessibility must be woven into India’s development narrative, making it a lived reality for persons with reduced mobility and seniors across the country,” she added.
She also highlighted findings from the World Bank’s Inclusive Cities Report 2022, which found that “countries investing in accessibility ahead of mega sporting and cultural events reaped significant economic and social benefits.” (PTI)
