Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Honors Indian Team for Record-Breaking Performance at Asia-Pacific Deaf Games
New Delhi [India], December 9: Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, felicitated the Indian team on Monday following their successful campaign at the 10th Asia-Pacific Deaf Games in Kuala Lumpur, where they secured an impressive 55 medals. This marks a remarkable achievement, as the Indian team significantly improved on their performance from the 2015 edition, where they won just 5 medals.
The 68-member contingent, consisting of 42 men and 26 women, clinched 8 gold, 18 silver, and 29 bronze medals, securing 5th place out of 21 participating countries—India’s best-ever finish since the tournament began in 1984. This milestone reflects a major improvement from their 2015 performance, where India finished ninth with 5 medals (2 gold and 3 silver).
Minister Mandaviya congratulated the athletes, coaches, and support staff during a special ceremony at his residence, expressing immense pride in their achievements. “I congratulate the Indian deaf team for bringing pride and honor to the nation with 55 medals at the Asia-Pacific Deaf Games. The country is advancing in the sports sector, with the government taking significant steps to improve sports infrastructure and coaching. When you compete, you don’t just win for yourselves but for the nation as well,” Mandaviya said.
India’s contingent competed in 7 disciplines, with notable performances in athletics, badminton, chess, judo, table tennis, and wrestling. The team’s medal tally included a record 28 medals in athletics (5 gold, 12 silver, 11 bronze), 6 medals in badminton (3 silver, 3 bronze), 3 medals in chess (1 silver, 2 bronze), 7 medals in judo (2 gold, 5 bronze), 3 medals in table tennis (1 silver, 2 bronze), and 8 medals in wrestling (1 gold, 1 silver, 6 bronze).
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) supported the athletes by organizing discipline-specific training camps at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi, as well as SAI NCOE Sonepat and SAI Regional Centre Lucknow. The government also provided financial assistance for travel and accommodation during the Games.
Top Medalists at the 2024 Asia-Pacific Deaf Games:
- Priyanga Paramaraj played a pivotal role in athletics, contributing significantly to India’s gold and silver medal count with her outstanding sprinting skills.
- Ridham Sharma showcased excellence in relay events, winning gold and silver, underlining her teamwork and endurance.
- Vinith Mani earned gold in the 400m event, demonstrating his speed and consistency across individual and team competitions.
- Sanya Dongre excelled in sprinting, winning gold in the Women’s 4x100m Relay and bronze in the 100m and 200m, reflecting her versatility.
- Jerlin Anika Jayaratchagan proved her skill in badminton, securing four medals, including silver in Mixed Doubles and the Mixed Team Event, and bronze in Women’s Singles and Doubles.
- Sumit Dahiya excelled in wrestling, dominating both freestyle and Greco-Roman categories to claim two gold medals.
- Milanmeet Kaur shone in judo, winning gold in the Under-48kg category and bronze in the Team Women event, showcasing her strength in both individual and team disciplines.
This achievement highlights India’s growing strength in the international sports arena and reflects the positive changes occurring within the country’s sports culture.