Indian medallists – The Hindu

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya with the Indian contingent that finished fifth in the Asia-Pacific Deaf Games in New Delhi on Monday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya felicitated the Indian contingent that won 55 medals including eight gold in the Asia-Pacific Deaf Games in Kuala Lumpur.

Meeting the athletes, coaches and support staff at his residence, the Minister congratulated them for making a quantum leap in performance after having won five medals in the last edition in 2015.

“In 2015, we had sent a smaller team and returned with lesser number of medals. But it gives me immense pleasure to state that 68 players competed in seven different disciplines this time and have won 55 medals. I feel proud that a positive change is happening in the country and it is moving forward in the sports sector,” said the Minister.

“The government is taking a number of initiatives to improve sports infrastructure, governance and specialised coaching. When you compete internationally, you don’t win for yourself, the nation also wins with you,” he said.

Sports Authority of India (SAI) had organised training camps for the contingent in different centres in Delhi, Sonepat and Lucknow. It also took care of the travel and accommodation cost of the entire contingent.

The Indian team won 28 medals in athletics (five gold, 12 silver, 11 bronze), six medals in badminton (three silver, three bronze), three medals in chess (one silver, two bronze), seven medals in judo (two gold, five bronze), three medals in table tennis (one silver, two bronze) and eight medals in wrestling (one gold, one silver, six bronze).

India had finished fifth on the medals table with eight gold, 18 silver and 29 bronze medals.