India's deaf shooters shone at the 25th Summer Deaflympic Games in Tokyo, securing a remarkable 16 medals, comprising 7 Golds, 6 Silvers, and 3 Bronzes. The country's overall performance was commendable,
finishing sixth among 62 nations with a total of 20 medals, including 9 Gold, 7 Silver, and 4 Bronze medals.
At the Khelo India University Games in Jaipur, Paralympian Avani Lekhara expressed pride in the shooters' achievements.
"It's really nice seeing India doing so good. Especially, we have seen a lot of medals coming up in shooting. I'm very happy and proud of them. I just want them to keep on doing this, and we also keep on supporting them as an audience so that they do better and better in upcoming years as well," she stated.
Shooting Stars Lead India's Medal Charge
Among the Indian shooters, Mahit Sandhu emerged as a standout performer, bagging four medals. Meanwhile, Pranjali and Abhinav Deshwal each secured three medals, and Dhanush Srikanth added two more to India's tally. Their collective efforts contributed significantly to India's success at the Deaflympics.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to the athletes for their stellar performance. In a message on X, he wrote, "Heartiest congratulations to our Deaflympians for their extraordinary performance at the 25th Summer Deaflympics 2025 in Tokyo. With a historic best-ever medal tally of 20 medals including 9 Golds, our athletes have once again proven that determination and dedication can lead to outstanding results. Compliments to every athlete, coach and support staff. The entire nation is proud of you all!"
Inspiration from Specially-Abled Athletes
Olympian Manu Bhaker, who began her shooting career at the Khelo India School Games in 2017, spoke about the inspiration drawn from specially-abled athletes.
"We ourselves get motivated when we watch specially-abled athletes performing so well in international competitions. It is their passion and their fighting spirit that inspires us. From my side I want to give my best wishes to each and every one of them and congratulate them for their amazing performances at the Deaflympics. We look up to you and if we can be of any help, we would love to help whenever needed," Manu Bhaker said.
Avani, who won gold in the women's 10m Air Rifle standing SH1 category at the Khelo India Para Games 2025, highlighted the impact of the Government of India's initiatives. She acknowledged the significance of platforms like Khelo India University Games in nurturing talent at the grassroots level.
"Government of India and especially SAI is doing a really nice job because competitions like Khelo India University Games, especially for the athletes at grassroots level, it gives them massive motivation. It gives them a platform to showcase their talent and serves as a launching pad for them for performing well in international events. If we see a lot more competition coming up at grassroots level, we'll see more elite level athletes in the future," Avani signed off.
The achievements of Indian shooters at the Deaflympics have set a benchmark for future competitions. Their success is not only a testament to their dedication but also a source of inspiration for many aspiring athletes in the country.
