India name record 111-member contingent for Deaflympics 2025 in Tokyo

India have named a 111-member contingent for the Deaflympics 2025 in Tokyo, Japan, scheduled to be held from November 15 to 26.

The contingent consists of 73 athletes and 38 coaches, making it the biggest ever Indian contingent at the Deaflympics.

India will take part in 11 sports – athletics, badminton, golf, judo, karate, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, wrestling and tennis - at the 2025 Deaflympics

From 1924 to the present day, a total of 24 Summer and 18 Winter Deaflympics have been held. These are conducted in years following the Olympics.

India have been participating in the International Deaf Games since 1965. Seven male athletes and five officials took part in India’s maiden appearance in Washington.

In 1985, India fielded its first three female athletes at the Deaflympics. In the most recent edition, held in May 2022 in Caxias do Sul, Brazil, the contingent featured 39 men and 26 women.

India won a best-ever 16 medals – eight gold, one silver and seven bronze - to finish ninth among 77 participating nations last time around.

In badminton, Jerlin Jayaratchagan won three gold medals. Dhanush Srikanth won two gold medals, setting a new world record in the 10m air rifle shooting event with a score of 247.5, while Prithvi Sekhar won three medals in tennis.

In wrestling, Virender Singh secured his fifth consecutive Deaflympics medal, a bronze, while Tokyo Olympian golfer Diksha Dagar claimed gold to add to her silver from 2017.

India's previous best came at Sofia 1993 when they bagged seven medals, including five gold and two bronze. India also won seven medals each at Copenhagen 1997 - three gold, three silvers and a bronze - and Melbourne 2005 - three gold, one silver and three bronze.

Overall, India have won 26 gold medals, nine silver and 17 bronze at the Deaflympics.

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