Deepa Malik, the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) president, was a happy person on Sunday.
“It feels great that India have had such a successful Paralympic Games campaign in Tokyo. When people recognised that this is a platform, they started giving more focus, policies have become more inclusive, we have had direct support from the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), sports ministry, SAI (Sports Authority of India)… We ourselves have also regrouped,” she said from Tokyo at a virtual news conference, facilitated by the PCI and broadcaster Eurosport.
India won an unprecedented 19 medals, including five gold medals, in the Games.
Malik, a shot put silver medallist in the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, emphasised that there has been a difference on how the coaches think.
“This time the coaches have understood that they need to take a very scientific approach. There is focus on sports science. Till 2014-15, the coaches were very possessive about their athletes and claimed to know everything. But now the coaches’ approach has also changed, they are asking for physiotherapists, injury management and performance tests.
“Now they want to take the opinion of a fitness and conditioning coach, also a mental trainer when they feel the need. So this whole acceptance of para-sports as mainstream sports where the athlete is on a par with any other athlete without disability, that has made a huge difference.”
Malik hopes all the stakeholders will come together after the Tokyo success. “We are hoping that more stakeholders will come forward and back us. We as a federation are responsible for identifying new talent and work with them, so that is the aim right now,” she said.
Malik added ‘train the trainer’ programme is a must and she would speak about it with sports minister (Anurag Thakur).
Looking forward, Malik said the PCI would focus on building a tough younger brigade of para-athletes.
“We are going to shortlist important qualifying international events and the Youth Asian Para Games are coming up in Bahrain, we also have to start working with the under-20, the younger brigade.”
