Rio Paralympics medallists will also be given Khel Ratna: Sports Minister

New Delhi, Sep 18: Sports Minister Vijay Goel has hailed the performance of Indian Paralympians at Rio Paralympics 2016.

India's Devendra Jhajharia breaks world record, wins gold

Equating the paralympians' achievements with the Olympic medallists at Rio de Janeiro, Goel confirmed those who won medals at Paralympics will also be conferred with coveted Khel Ratna awards, next year.

"All the paralympic medallists will be treated at par with other Olympic medallists. They will also be getting Khel Ratna," said Goel while visiting the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad on Saturday.

"I think winning an Olympic medal is a bigger achievement than Khel Ratna. Let's ask (PV) Sindhu," the minister said, turning to the Rio silver medallist who was present on the occasion.

India recorded its best ever haul in the Paralympic Games at Rio after winning four medals, including two golds and a silver and bronze.

Mariyappan Thangavelu and Varun Singh Bhati secured India two medals in the high jump category.

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Deepa Malik scripted history as she won second place in the women's shotput F53 event. While, Devendra Jhajharia, India's sole gold medalist at the Paralympics prior to 2016, went on to break his own world record and made the javelin gold medal his own.

India's Rio 2016 medallists PV Sindhu and Sakshi Malik along with Olympians Dipa Karmakar and Jitu Rai were on August 29, conferred Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award by President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi.

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