Silver Will Raise Bar For Para Sports In India: Deepa Malik to NDTV

Deepa Malik created history when she won the silver in shot put - F53 event at the Rio Games to become the first Indian woman Paralympic medallist. However, for the 45-year-old mother of two, the most important aspect of winning her medal is that it will raise the bar for para sports in India.

India had previously won 10 Paralympic medals, including the two won by Mariyappan Thangavelu and Varun Singh Bhati at the 2016 Rio Games. But no Indian woman had stood on the podium in Paralympics before Deepa Malik.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Deepa Malik said that she still hadn't come to terms with winning the silver and had to keep reassuring herself that this wasn't a fairytale.

"I'm happy I could win this medal for my country. I look at the medal and tell myself that this isn't a fairytale and this has actually happened.

"A lot of sweat, a lot of hardwork and a lot of sacrifice has gone into getting this medal. I'm happy that this medal has raised the bar of para sports in India," Deepa Malik said.

Tributes poured in for the 2012 Arjuna Awardee from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, all hailing her achievement.

Well done @DeepaAthlete! Your silver at the #Paralympics makes the nation very proud. Congratulations. #Rio2016

- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 12, 2016

Many Congratulations @DeepaAthlete for your phenomenal performance at the #paralympics.. Here's to many more victories!

- sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) September 12, 2016

Deepa Malik is obviously excited.

"Thank you so much for all your good wishes. I am really grateful to all the people back home in India. Everybody has been cheering and celebrating the medal. It's absolutely an honour and a blessing. Entire nation, everyone accept my gratitude for sending so many blessings and so many good wishes," said Deepa Malik.

There are not enough superlatives to describe Deepa Malik's performance at the Rio Paralympics. She twice shattered her personal best en route to clinching the medal.

Deepa registered a throw of 4.26 metres to start of with but threw a personal best of 4.49m to top the field. Her next attempt was 4.41 m. However, her best effort came with her final attempt when she recorded another personal best with a mammoth throw of 4.61m.

Her distance was only bettered by Bahrain's Fatema Nedham, who took the gold with a best throw of 4.76m.