Kapil Parmar on Thursday created history by winning India's first-ever Paralympic medal in judo in the ongoing Paris 2024 Games. Parmar won a bronze in the men's 60kg (J1), defeating Brazil's Elielton de Oliveira in the play-off.??
The J1 class in para judo is for athletes who suffer from no to very low visual activity. Athletes in this category wear red circles to indicate that they may need guided support before, during, and after a contest.??
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The 23-year-old from Sehore in Madhya Pradesh is the youngest of four brothers and a sister, and his father works as a taxi driver.??
While one of his sisters worked in a school, Parmar used to run a tea stall with his brother Lalit to make ends meet.??
Parmar's life has been a battle in which he once narrowly defeated death at a young age.??
As a child, Parmar had a life-altering accident when he was playing in the fields of his village and accidentally touched a water pump, resulting in a severe electric shock.??
He was found unconscious by a villager and taken to the hospital, where he remained in a coma for six months. His eyes were severely impacted, and he competes in the J1 class where competitors have lost 90 percent of their vision.??
Parmar's medal took India's tally in the Paralympic Games in Paris to 25 ¡ª five gold, nine silver, and 11 bronze medals. The country currently occupies the 14th position in the overall medals tally.?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated Parmar for his memorable performance in Paris.??
"A very memorable sporting performance and a special medal. Congratulations to Kapil Parmar, as he becomes the first-ever Indian to win a medal in Judo at the Paralympics. Congrats to him for winning a Bronze in the Men's 60kg J1 event at the #Paralympics2024! Best wishes for his endeavours ahead," the PM said in a social media post.??
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