NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed "heartiest congratulations" to para-athletes Dharambir and Pranav Soorma and praised their "unstoppable spirit" for winning medals in the men's club throw event at the Paris Paralympics.
Dharambir and Pranav won gold and silver medals, respectively, in the men’s club throw F51 class late on Wednesday night to make it India’s first one-two podium finish in the event.
"I convey my heartiest congratulations to Dharambir and Pranav Soorma on winning gold and silver medals, respectively, in men's club throw event at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. This is an extraordinary feat for the country. Their superlative performance will motivate budding athletes to pursue club throwing. I extend my best wishes to them for continued success, " the President posted on X.
"The exceptional Dharambir creates history as he wins India’s first ever Paralympic Gold in Men’s Club Throw F51 event at the #Paralympics2024! This incredible achievement is because of his unstoppable spirit. India is overjoyed by this feat, " PM Modi posted on X.
"Congratulations to Pranav Soorma for winning the Silver medal in the Men's Club Throw F51 at the #Paralympics2024! His success will motivate countless youngsters. His perseverance and tenacity are admirable, " he wrote in another post.
The 35-year-old Dharambir won the gold medal with an Asian record of 34.92m on his fifth attempt at the Stade de France. Pranav, on the other hand, started strongly with an effort of 34.59m and clinched a silver medal.
So far, India have won 24 medals at Paris 2024 with five gold, nine silver and 10 bronze, recording their best-ever result at the Paralympic Games, surpassing the record from Tokyo 2020, where India had won 19 medals at Tokyo 2020 with five gold, eight silver and six bronze.
Dharambir's victory at the Stade de France was his first gold medal at a major competition. He finished ninth at the Rio 2016 and eighth at Tokyo 2020 and secured a bronze medal at the Para World Championships in Japan earlier this year.
At the Asian Para Games last year, he lost the gold medal to Pranav Soorma and settled for silver.
Athletes in the F51 sports class have impaired muscle power or impaired range of movement: All athletes compete in a seated position.
Dharambir, who hails from Haryana, suffered a life-threatening accident while diving into a canal in his village. He misjudged the water's depth, crashing into the underlying rocks. This unfortunate incident resulted in paralysis from the waist down, significantly altering his life trajectory.
In 2014, Dharambir discovered para-sports, which opened new avenues for him. He began training in club throw under the mentorship of Amit Kumar Saroha, a fellow para athlete who shares a similar condition.
Pranav's life changed dramatically at the age of 16, when a cement sheet fell on his head, causing a severe spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed. Doctors told him he would never walk again, and he spent six months in the hospital. It took several years for Pranav to accept that a wheelchair would be his lifelong companion. However, his indomitable spirit and 'do not quit' attitude helped him make the best of his situation
He experimented with different para sports and even participated in the Mr. Wheelchair India event before finding his true passion in para athletics.
His achievements include a silver medal at the 2019 Beijing Grand Prix, a gold medal at the Serbia Open 2023, and both gold and silver medals at the Tunisia Grand Prix 2022. At the Asian Para Games 2023, Pranav set a record with a 30.01m throw in the men's club throw F51 event, earning a gold medal.