Grit, Determination, and Spirit—Paralympics 2024

India's performance at the Paris Paralympics 2024 has been super inspiring! Showing overall improvement over its previous achievement from the Tokyo Paralympics where India won seven gold medals, nine silver and thirteen bronze medals, in the total medal tally amount of twenty-nine. It was sheer willpower on the part of the contingent that lifted India to a very decent 18th position in terms of the overall medals tally, unlike the 24th rank in the Paralympics held in Tokyo.Swami Chinmayananda’s words, ‘Give up your defeatist mentality and take every moment as an opportunity to fight in whatever area to the best of your ability and with utmost sincerity’ aptly describe the lives of the sportspersons who were determined crusaders in their struggles. India's para-athletes did not suffer as nightmares of defeat but instead stepped up and took on dreams. Every problem was a chance, facing life fiercely and not backing down.India shone across a variety of sports but most so in athletics. The golden jubilee of India's campaign was marked by a fine performance by Navdeep Singh in the men's javelin F41 event. His win, as well as that of Sumit Antil in men’s javelin throw F64, uplifted nationalist sentiments that Indian para-athletes were merely not participating but competing at the highest level in the world. Every sportsperson’s story of their life journey to the Paralympics is about courage and the willpower to fight the odds—human attributes that no one can take away from them. For these sportspersons there are no physical barriers, but only hurdles to cross. Each of their throws, the jumps or the sprints they performed showed faith in themselves, belief and persistence in the idea that while the human body may have its limits, the human spirit knows no such constraints. Take Manish Narwal who was awarded a silver medal in the men’s 10m air pistol SH1 event for example. He faced many difficulties due to his condition but despite this, Narwal trained hard which ultimately led him to win. Instead of avoiding the challenges that seemed insurmountable, these athletes chose the opposite and conquered them. In exactly the same way, Nitesh Kumar won the gold medal in the Men’s Singles SL3 event in badminton and Praveen Kumar took away gold in the High Jump T64 event, proving anything is possible when the mind is right and focused.An Inspiration for India’s YouthThe achievement of the Indian group in Paris is more than a simple medal score. It conveys a strong message to the Indian youth that no struggle is too big. In today’s modern, hectic, highly competitive world where everyone wants to win and winning becomes the only goal, these para-athlete’s realities teach that there are some things called perseverance, patience, and faith in one’s self. The words of Swami Chinmayananda also point this out: that it is by no means an unusual act for one to be pessimistic in the face of troubles. However, it is a fact that the people who do not give up but persist on to the end will be winners. The case of India’s para-athletes illustrates this principle very well. Faced with social discrimination, poverty, and physical challenges, these athletes did not allow their circumstances to limit them. Instead, they decided to lift themselves, compete and inspire..Beyond the Medals: The Legacy of Paris 2024Even though the medals and the medal table deserve cheer, the real trophy is the kind of hope and motivation that these sportspersons have given to millions in the country. Despite the fact that society often tries to dictate what is considered perfect, these athletes have shown that achievement has no boundaries. The voices from their remarkable feat demand equal opportunities in all sports as well as equal recognition of para-athletes, as part of the pride from our nation.Bharat’s performance at the Paris Paralympics 2024 was not only an enhancement to India’s rank in the international para-sports arena but it has also initiated a conversation about the need for better infrastructure, recognition and resources for our para-athletes. It heralds the belated recognition of para-sports which will be the beginning of the end of injustice to ignored genres of sports.More than the unprecedented medal tally, the success of the nation at the Paris Paralympics 2024 will be treasured for the crises and the lessons in earning their respect and place that they all gave us. India appeared at ease watching its para-athletes get immersed in the action as the country itself has been overwhelmed with challenges to surmount. Gurudev”s philosophy is embodied in them and their journey is an inspiration to the youth of India for generations to come.