Determined to return with their best-ever haul in the Paralympic Games, India’s biggest-ever contingent for the mega event will launch a historical campaign in French Capital on Thursday with action starting in badminton, archery and table tennis. India’s archers, shuttlers and paddlers will get into action on the opening day of competition, getting through the preliminary rounds.

The 16-year-old para-archer Sheetal Devi will be among the first Indian participants to take the field for the Women’s Individual Compound Open Ranking Round along with compatriot Sarita. Sheetal, the wonder archer who shoots arrows in bullseye with ease using her legs and mouth, won two gold and one silver medal in the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou last year. 

In the men’s compound archery, India’s Rakesh Kumar, who had narrowly missed a medal in the Tokyo Paralympic Games, is hoping to bag his maiden medal in Paris and will also start his campaign in the men’s individual compound open ranking round. Also starting their campaigns will be Harvinder Singh in men’s recurve individual, Shyam Sundar Swami in men’s compound individual and Pooja in women’s recurve open individual.

The top Indian medal contenders will also get into action in para-badminton with Sukant Kadam, Manoj Sarkar, Suhas Yathiraj, Manasi Joshi, Tarun Dhillon, Nitesh Kumar, Thulasimathi Murugesan, Manish Ramdass and Palak Kohli playing their respective Group Stage matches.

India’s main hope in para-taekwondo, Aruna Tanwar will be getting onto the mat in the Women’s K44-47 kg section. She will start her campaign with a Round of 16 stage clash with Nurcihan Ekinci of Turkey. If she wins her first match, she will progress further to the quarterfinals.

1. Para Badminton 

Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5 (Group Stage)

Nitesh Kumar/Murugesan Thulasimathi vs Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj/Palak Kohli (12 PM)

Mixed Doubles SH6 (Group Stage)

Sivarajam Solaimalai/Nithye Sre Sumathy (Not before: 12:40 PM )

Women’s Singles SL3 (Group Stage)

Mandeep Kaur

Manasi Joshi

(Not before 2 PM)

Men’s Singles SL4 (Group Stage)

Sukant Kadam (Not before 2:40 PM)

Suhas Lalinakere Yathira (Not before 3:20 PM)

Tarun (Not before 3:20 PM)

Men’s Singles SL3 (Group play)

Nitesh Kumar vs Manoj Sarkar (Not before 4 PM)

2. Para Cycling

Jyoti Gaderiya – Women’s C1-3 3000m Individual Pursuit Qualifying (Not before 4:25 PM)

3. Para Archery (From 4:30 PM)

Harvinder Singh – Men’s Individual Recurve Open (Ranking Round)

Sarita, Sheetal Devi – Women’s Individual Compound Open (Ranking Round)

4. Para Badminton

Palak Kohli – Women’s Singles SL4 (Group play) – 4:40 PM onwards

Murugesan Thulasimathi – Women’s Singles SU5 (Group play) – 5:20 PM onwards

Sivarajam Solaimalai – Men’s Singles SH6 (Group play) – 7:30 PM onwards

Manisha Ramadass – Women’s Singles SU5 (Group play) – 7:30 PM onwards

Nithya Sre Sumathy – Women’s Singles SH6 (Group play) – 7:30 PM onwards

Krishna Nagar – Men’s Singles SH6 (Group play) – 7:30 PM onwards

5. Para Archery (8:30 onwards)

Shyam Sundar Swami, Rakesh Kumar – 8:30 PM onwards

Pooja – Women’s Individual Recurve Open (Ranking Round)

Sheetal Devi-Rakesh Kumar, Sarita-Shyam Sundar Swami – Mixed team Compound Open (Ranking Round) – 8:30 PM onwards

Harvinder Singh-Pooja – Mixed team Recurve Open (Ranking Round) – 8:30 PM onwards

6. Para Taekwondo

Aruna – Women K44 – 47kg – 8:30 PM onwards

7. Para badminton

Nitesh Kumar/Murugesan Thulasimathi – Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5 (Group play) – not before 10:10 PM

Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj/Palak Kohli – Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5 (Group play) – not before 10:50 PM

With IANS inputs