Mansukh Mandaviya Felicitates Athletes with Over Rs 1.09 Crore after 22-Medal Haul at World Para Athletics Championships

Medals won, cash awards distributed, and stirring words of praise marked the felicitation ceremony held by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya for India's medalists at the recently-concluded World Para Athletics

Championships in New Delhi.

The event saw India achieve its best-ever performance, finishing 10th with a haul of 22 medals, including six gold, nine silver, and seven bronze.

While most athletes attended this closed-door ceremony to receive their rewards, visually impaired sprinter Simran Sharma was notably absent due to the provisional suspension of her guide Umar Saifi by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after testing positive for the banned steroid Drostanolone. A source said to PTI, "It's unfortunate that she could not come. From what we know, she is quite shocked by the turn of events. "

Minister Mandaviya lauded the athletes' exceptional determination and resilience, declaring, "You are not para athletes, but Power Athletes of Bharat. The pride you brought to the nation after the medal wins and the inspiring message you have given to divyang people in particular is noteworthy. " He revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi followed the championships closely, "watching your matches on TV and he used to keep asking about you all during our meetings. "

Javelin throw champion Sumit Antil praised the new MONDO track laid at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, stating, "All of us were very happy about the MONDO track," while high jump gold-medallist Sailesh Kumar shared, "It was such a big event in India. I was nervous on the first day but the preparations were good. The track and home support were very favourable. Besides the MONDO track, the nearby gym and fitness centre also proved useful. "

The Championships, which involved over 2,100 participants from 100 countries competing in 186 medal events, was the largest para-sport event hosted in India. Paralympic Committee of India President Devendra Jhajharia highlighted the success of the event and the quality of facilities, mentioning the trophy given by World Para Athletics for hosting the Championships successfully and praising the technical conduct of the Games.​