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India at the 1972 Summer Paralympics
IPC code	IND
NPC	Paralympic Committee of India
Website	Paralympic India
in Heidelberg August 2, 1972 (1972-08-02) – August 11, 1972 (1972-08-11)
Competitors	10 in 5 sports
Medals Ranked 25th	Gold 1 Silver 0 Bronze 0 Total 1
Summer Paralympics appearances (overview)
1968 1972 1976–1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024

India competed at the 1972 Summer Paralympics held in Heidelberg from 2 to 11 August 1972. The nation made its official debut at the last Paralympic Games in 1968. This was India's second consecutive appearance at the Summer Games for the disabled. India sent a contingent consisting of ten athletes for the Games and won a single gold medal.

Background

The ninth International Stoke Mandville Games was later designated as the first Paralympics in 1960 and the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation organized the 1972 Games. India made its Paralympics debut in the previous Games in 1968. India sent ten competitors including seven males and three females.

Medalist

India won its first ever Paralympic medal when Murlikant Petkar won the gold medal in the men's 50 meter freestyle event.

Medal	Name	Sport	Event
Gold	Murlikant Petkar	Swimming	Men's 50 m freestyle 3

Competitors

The Indian contingent for the Games consisted of ten athletes who competed across five sports.

Sport	Men	Women	Total
Archery	0	1	1
Athletics	6	2	8
Swimming	1	0	1
Table tennis	2	0	2
Weightlifting	1	0	1
Total	7	3	10

Archery

Athletics

Track

Field

Swimming

Murlikant Petkar became the first Indian Paralympic medalist when he won a gold medal in swimming. Hailing from Maharashtra, he was part of the Indian Army. He was injured in the 1965 India-Pakistan War when he was hit by multiple bullets. He started swimming as an exercise to improve mobility in the injured leg muscles. He set a new World Record when he won the gold medal in the freestyle 3 event. He was awarded the Padma Shri, India's third highest civilian honor for his achievement.

Athlete	Event	Heat		Final
		Result	Rank	Result	Rank
Murlikant Petkar	Men's 50 m freestyle 3	—		37.33

Table tennis

Athlete/Team	Event	Group Stage			Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Final / BM
		Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Rank	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Rank
India	Men's teams 3	West Germany L 0–3	United States L 0–3	3	Did not advance

Weightlifting

Notes

1. ^
   • Petkar participated in athletics and swimming.
   • Makandi participated in athletics and weightlifting.
   • Patel participated in athletics and archery.

References

1. "History of IPC". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 30 November 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
2. "India at the Paralympics: A brief history". Olympics.com. 19 December 2020. Archived from the original on 22 May 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
3. "Participants Heidelberg 1972 Paralympic Games". International Paralympic Committee. 1972. Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
4. "How a war hero won India's first Paralympics gold in 1972". The Times of India. 29 August 2021. Archived from the original on 4 September 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
5. "Murlikant Petkar: From War Hero to India's First Paralympic Champion". Cross Barriers. 12 August 2024. Archived from the original on 4 September 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
6. "Participants in the 1972 Paralympics". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
7. "Petkar". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
8. "Makandi". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
9. "Patel". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
10. "Results/Archery/Women's St. Nicholas round paraplegic". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 9 August 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
11. "Results/Athletics/Men's 100 m 2". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 21 February 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
12. "Results/Athletics/Men's 100 m 3". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 1 December 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
13. "Results/Athletics/Men's slalom 3". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
14. "Results/Athletics/Men's shot put 2". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 1 December 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
15. "Results/Athletics/Men's shot put 4". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
16. "Results/Athletics/Men's precision javelin open". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
17. "Results/Athletics/Men's javelin 3". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 24 September 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
18. "Results/Athletics/Men's shot put 3". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
19. ^ "Results/Athletics/Women's precision javelin open". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
20. ^ "Results/Athletics/Women's javelin 3". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
21. ^ "Results/Athletics/Women's shot put 3". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 8 December 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
22. "Results/Athletics/Men's javelin 5". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
23. "Results/Athletics/Men's shot put 5". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
24. "Results/Athletics/Women's discus throw 3". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
25. Shrikant, B (22 August 2012). "Forgotten hero: India's first Paralympic gold medallist". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
26. "Murlikant Petkar – The first one to rise amongst a billion". International Paralympic Committee. 7 August 2021. Archived from the original on 23 June 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
27. "Results/Table tennis/Men's teams 3". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
28. "Results/Weightlifting/Men's featherweight". International Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.

• Nations at the 1972 Summer Paralympics
• India at the Paralympics
• 1972 in Indian sport