New Delhi [India], September 12 : Paralympic gold medallist Harvinder Singh revealed that he gifted the arrow he used in Paris to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Indian contingent of the Paris Paralympics met PM Modi at his residence in the national capital on Thursday.
After the meeting, Harvinder stated that PM Modi spoke to the participants, medal winners, and the staff members who worked hard behind the scenes to help athletes.
"I gifted my arrow to PM Modi, which I used in the Paralympics. PM Modi motivated us a lot, and he congratulated our team. He spoke to the medal winner, participants, and also the sports staff," Harvinder told ANI.
Harvinder got his hands on India's first-ever gold medal in para-archery at the Paralympics. In a one-sided affair, Harvinder ousted Poland's Lukasz Ciszek with a straight-set win, 6-0, in the gold medal match.
Para table tennis athlete Sonal Patel expressed her renewed motivation and determination after she met with PM Modi.
Sonal recently competed in the Paralympics in para table tennis but did not secure a medal. She shared her experience and the encouragement she received from the Prime Minister.
"It felt really good talking to PM Modi today. I could not win a medal this time. But after talking to PM Modi, I am extremely motivated. He told us that participating in the Paralympics is also a very big thing. We will work hard and make sure to win a medal next time," Patel said.
The Indian contingent concluded its historic Paralympics campaign in Paris with a record haul of 29 medals, including seven golds, nine silvers, and 13 bronzes.
The 29-medal tally is the most by India in the history of the Paralympics. Following the conclusion of the landmark campaign, India surpassed its record medal tally of 19, which was achieved at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. India ended the marquee event in the 18th position.
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