The first Indian contingent, comprising three athletes and six support staff members, reached Tokyo on Wednesday morning, ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
High jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu, who won the gold medal in high jump at the Rio Paralympics, was part of the contingent and will be the flag-bearer of India in the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Paralympics. Discus thrower Vinod Kumar and men's javelin thrower Tek Chand were the other athletes in the contingent.
Before they left for Tokyo, the contingent was given a warm send-off by the members of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport.
With 54 athletes competing in nine disciplines, India is sending its largest-ever contingent to the Tokyo Paralympic Games. The quadrennial extravaganza will take place on 24 August and will last until 5 September.
Indian Paralympians and support staff pose for a photo at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi early on Wednesday morning.
Image: SAI
Top Medal Hope: Mariyappan Thangavelu
Image: SAI
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