India at the 1972 Summer Paralympics

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.

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

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

Main article: Archery at the 1972 Summer Paralympics

Athlete	Event	Score	Rank
Patel	Women's St. Nicholas round paraplegic	31	8

Athletics

Main article: Athletics at the 1972 Summer Paralympics

Track

Athlete	Event	Heat		Final
		Result	Rank	Result	Rank
Chandrashekhar	Men's 100 m 2	1:28.40	22	Did not advance
Magan Gina	Men's 100 m 3	48.80	41	Did not advance
Murlikant Petkar	Men's slalom 3	—		1:20.10	26

Field

Athlete	Event	Result	Points	Rank
Diwan	Men's shot put 2	2.72	—	24
Makandi	Men's shot put 4	4.25	—	36
	Men's precision javelin open	—	1	68
Murlikant Petkar		—	26	55
	Men's javelin 3	15.07	—	15
	Men's shot put 3	6.20	—	12
Patel	Women's precision javelin open	—	12	51
	Women's javelin 3	6.08	—	30
	Women's shot put 3	2.88	—	30
Poudwal	Men's javelin 5	8.10	—	26
	Men's shot put 5	3.95	—	28
Shehrnaz Kermani	Women's precision javelin open	—	27	41
	Women's discus throw 3	7.43	—	27
	Women's javelin 3	7.05	—	26
	Women's shot put 3	3.31	—	27

Swimming

Main article: Swimming at the 1972 Summer Paralympics

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

Main article: Table tennis at the 1972 Summer Paralympics

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

Main article: Weightlifting at the 1972 Summer Paralympics

Athlete	Event	Result	Rank
Makandi	Men's featherweight	75	6