After India's successful return at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics earlier this month where the nation picked seven medals, focus shifts to the Paralympics which begins from August 24.
At the 2020 Games, India will feature their biggest contingent comprising 54 athletes competing in nine disciplines in Tokyo. High jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu will be India’s flag-bearer in the opening ceremony.
India have so far bagged 12 medals in Paralympics history - four gold, four silver, and four bronze - since their debut at the 1968 Games with their best return happening in the 2016 Rio Paralympics where they clinched two gold medals, a silver, and a bronze.
Javelin thrower Devendra Jhajaria and Mariyappan will return as favourites along with Rio bronze medallist high jumper Varun Singh Bhati. Meanwhile, there will be a number of firsts for India at the impending Games. Prachi Yadav will be India's first Paracanoe athlete while Sakina Khatun will be the first female powerlifter. India will also have two female para shooters - Rubina Francis and Avani Lekhara - for the first time in their 10-member shooting contingent.
2020 Tokyo Paralympics schedule for India:
Archery
August 27 – Men and women’s recurve and compound ranking round
August 28 – Men’s individual compound elimination rounds
August 29 – Women’s individual compound elimination rounds, mixed team elimination rounds and medal matches
August 30 – Women’s individual compound elimination rounds and medal matches
August 31 – Men’s individual compound elimination rounds and medal matches
September 3 – Men’s recurve individual elimination rounds and medal matches
Athletics
August 29 – Men’s discus throw F52 final, men’s high jump t47 final
August 30 – Men’s discus throw F56 final, men’s javelin throw F46 and F64 final
August 31 - Men’s high jump T63 final, women’s shot put F34, women’s 100m T13
September 1 – Men’s club throw F52 final
September 2 – Men’s shot put F35 final
September 3 – Men’s high jump T64 final, men’s javelin throw F54 final, men’s shot put F57 final, women’s club throw F51 final
September 4 – Men’s javelin throw F41 final
Badminton
September 1 – Men's singles SL3, women's singles SU5, mixed doubles SL3-SU5
September 2 – Men’s singles SL4, men's singles SS6, women's Singles SL4, women's doubles SL3-SU5
Paracanoeing
September 2 – Women’s VL2
Powerlifting
August 27 – Men’s 65kg, women’s 50kg
Shooting
August 30 – Men’s 10m air rifle standing SH1, women’s 10m air rifle SH1
August 31 – Men’s 10m air pistol SH1, women’s 10m air pistol SH1
September 1 – Mixed 10m air rifle prone SH1
September 2 – Mixed 25m pistol SH1
September 3 – Men and women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1
September 4 – Mixed 50m pistol SH1
September 5 – Mixed 50m rifle prone SH1
Swimming
August 27 – Men’s 200m individual medley M7
September 3 – Men’s 50m butterfly S7
Table tennis
August 25, 26 – Women’s singles class 3 group stage
August 27 - Women’s singles class 3 eliminations
August 28 - Women’s singles class 3 gold medal match
Taekwondo
September 2 - Women K44 - 49kg
