History

Mile Stones .. - India at the Paralympics

In India “Physically Handicapped Sports Federation of India” was the first organization that was formed in 1992 by Mr. M. Mahadeva, an Arjuna Awardee and Paralympian, and later in 1994 registered it with the Registrar of Co-operative Societies, Bangalore, Karnataka as it's founding General Secretary. Later the name was changed to the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) which is now the Governing Body of Paralympic Sports in India. It is recognized by both, IPC and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Govt. of India. PCI develops and promotes Paralympic Sports with the help of National Sports Federations and State Paralympic Associations affiliated to it.  The Head Office of PCI is located in Delhi while the Registered Office is in Bangalore. Though the controlling body in India was formed in 1992, individual Indian Para Athletes have been taking part in International Events at their own much before it. India made its Summer Paralympics debut at the Paralympic Games held at Tel Aviv, Israel in 1968.

In the 1972 Summer Paralympics, held at Heidelberg, West German from August 2 to 11, Mr. Murlikant Petkar swam the 50m Free Style in a world record time of 37.331 seconds to give India her first-ever Gold. India finished 24th out of the 42 participating nations. In 1984 at the New York Paralympics, Joginder Singh Bedi won the Silver Medal in Men's Shot Put and followed it up with a pair of Bronze winning performances in the Discus and Javelin throw. Another Indian, Bhimrao Kesarkar, won the Silver Medal in the Javelin. India finished 37th out of the 54 participating Nations. 

In the 2004 Summer Paralympics held at Athens, Devendra Jhajharia won Gold Medal in Javelin Throw Rajinder Singh won Bronze Medal in Powerlifting in the 56kg category. India finished 53rd out of 136 nations.

In 2012, Mr. H. N. Girisha won the Silver Medal in men's High Jump at the Paralympic Games held in London.

In 2016 at Rio Paralympics, India sent its largest-ever delegation consisting of 19 competitors in 5 sports. At these games, India won 2 Gold Medals, 1 Silver, and 1 Bronze Medal, a total of 4. Devendra Jhajharia bettered his own previous World Record of 62.15m with a performance of 63.37m to win the Gold Medal. Mariyappan Thangavelu won Gold Medal in High Jump with a performance of 1.89m. Deepa Malik became India's first woman and the oldest athlete ever to win a medal at the Paralympics in the women's Shot Put with a performance of 4.61 m. Varun Singh Bhati jumped a personal best of 1.86m to clinch Bronze Medal in the Men's High Jump. India finished 43rd out of the 83 nations. 

The Indian Para Athletes and its Coaches have over the years accumulated several credentials and have received numerous noteworthy awards from the Govt. of India, besides innumerable awards from various State Governments including 3 Rajeev Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, 05 Padmashri Awards, 31 Arjuna Awards, 06 Dronacharya Awards, and 04 Dhyan Chand Awards. 

The objectives of this organization were to promote sports for the disabled of our country, Identifying the disabled sportspersons at all India level, imparting necessary training to them, and preparing them to take part in State, National & International Sports meets was the major activity of this organization. 

In order to exhibit the skills of our disabled sportsmen, it was essential to participate in international sports meets. Hence, this organization got itself affiliated to the International Paralympic Committee, Germany, which is the supreme body for disabled sports in the world which is a parallel organization to the International Olympic Committee. 

Apart from getting affiliation, the organization also got itself affiliated to The International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation, UK, covering Wheelchair and Amputee Sports worldwide, FESPIC Federation, Japan, covering the countries in the Far East and South Pacific regions, and Asian Paralympic Committee, Malaysia.

Chronological History

• 2016

  Official Magazine of The Paralympic Committee of India ® Indian Para Sports - Special Inaugural Issue 2016

   

• 2016

  Rio 2016 Paralympics : India has sent its largest-ever delegation in the history of summer paralympic games, i.e. 19 competitors in 5 sports. Also, as far as the games have progressed till now, it has been India's best-ever performance in the history of the summer Paralympic games with a total of 4 medals won till now (2 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze ) with Devendra Jhajharia bettered his own previous world record of 62.15 m to set a new world record with a throw of 63.37 m to win a gold medal at the Paralympics.
  Mariyappan Thangavelu won India's first Paralympic gold medal in Rio with an impressive jump of 1.89 m in the men's T42 event.
  Deepa Malik scripted history; she won second place in the women's shotput F53 event at the Rio Paralympics on Monday, with a personal best throw of 4.61m. With this herculean effort, she became India's first woman and the oldest athlete ever to win a medal at the Paralympics.
  Varun Singh Bhati, who jumped a personal best of 1.86 meters to clinch bronze in the men's high jump T-42
  India finished 43rd out of the 83 nation field

• 2012

  H. N. Girisha, an Indian athlete born with a disability in the left leg, won the silver medal in the 2012 Paralympic games held in London in the men's high jump F-42 category.

• 2009

  2009 Paralympic Committee of India successfully conducted The IWAS World Games which encapsulates the motto of Unity, Friendship, and Sportsmanship. whereas 43 Countries participated and India stood 2nd Place in Medals Tally, 2100 Elite Athletes, 400 Technical officials, 250 Gold Medals, 200 Silver Medals, 180 Bronze Medals, 300 Momentums, 500 Volunteers, (NCC / Scouts & Para-Army), 100 Specially Trained Officials and demonstrates the values long held by the Federation to educate, train and provide competitive opportunities to sportsmen and women with a physical disability worldwide

• 2004

  2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens when Devendra Jhajharia, Javelin thrower, won gold and Rajinder Singh won bronze for powerlifting in the 56-kg category. India finished 53rd out of the 136 nation field

   

  1994

  PCI was registered during the year 1994 with the registrar of co-operative societies, Bangalore, Karnataka. 

• 1992

  Shri. M. Mahadeva and friends started an organization at the National level for the promotion and development of sports for the physically challenged and named it PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED SPORTS FEDERATION OF INDIA.

   

• 1984

  In the year 1984 New York Paralympics, Joginder Singh Bedi won silver at the Men's Shot Put and followed it up with a pair of bronze winning performances in the Discus and Javelin throws. Another Indian, Bhimrao Kesarkar, won the silver medal in the Javelin. India finished 37th out of the 54 participating nations.

   1972

  In 1972 Summer Paralympics (German: Paralympische Sommerspiele 1972), the fourth edition of the Paralympic Games at the Heidelberg Games, West Germany, from August 2 to 11, 1972 - Murlikant Petkar swam the 50 meter freestyle in a world record time of 37.331 seconds to give India her first-ever Gold. India finished 24th out of the 42 participating nations.

    

  1968

  India made its Summer Paralympic début at the 1968 Games,