Two-time Paralympic silver medallist discus thrower Yogesh Kathuniya gave Prime Minister Narendra Modi a new title, calling him “Param Mitra” during their interaction at PM’s residence.
Kathuniya, who won the silver medal in the F56 category at the World Para-Athletics Championships in May, recorded the season’s best throw of 42.22m to take the silver medal in the Men’s Discus Throw – F56 event at the recently concluded Paris Paralympics.
The Prime Minister met India’s Paralympians at his residence on Thursday to congratulate them for their record-smashing haul of 29 medals at the Paris Paralympic Games and asked para-athletes to share their Paralympic experiences.
“The consistency (in performance) came because of you; it came because of the schemes you have launched like TOPS, Khelo India etc. For everybody, PM means Prime Minister but for us, you are our ‘param mitra’ (best friend),” said Kathuniya to PM Modi.
“I feel proud for this post and I also want to work as a ‘mitra’ with you all,” replied the Prime Minister.
India finished 18th in the medal tally with seven gold, nine silver, and 13 bronze to their name for a record total of 29 medals. The contingent has shattered the record for India’s best-ever medal haul that was set at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics (19).
The record haul also meant that India crossed the 50-medal mark in their Paralympic history after taking their overall medal haul to 60 medals with 16 gold. 21 silver and 23 bronze.
A record 84 para-athletes represented India at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, held in the French capital from August 28 to September 8. India competed across 12 disciplines, three more than at Tokyo 2020.