The Indian contingent was given a warm send-off by the Secretary, Sports, Government of India, Hari Ranjan Rao, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Wednesday. The official kit of the Indian contingent was also revealed. The first batch of Indians will leave for Tokyo on Thursday (November 13).<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, in a message to the Indian contingent, said, \u201cIndia\u2019s rapid progress in global events for special athletes is something to be proud of. As part of our endeavour to promote inclusivity and foster healthy outreach through sports, we are extremely happy to send the biggest-ever Indian squad to the Deaflympics.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cEvery year our medal count has been increasing, and I am very sure that we will even do better than Brazil. But as I always say, it\u2019s not about how many medals we win. It\u2019s about competing with the best and giving your 100%. I wish each athlete and the support staff good luck.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India will take part in 11 disciplines \u2013 athletics, badminton, golf, judo, karate, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, wrestling, and tennis. The Deaflympics are conducted by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD). The Deaflympics, under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee, are the second-oldest international multi-sporting event in the world.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"We proudly celebrate the Global Deaf Sports movement, which has completed 100 years of inspiring athletes worldwide! India is honoured to be part of this journey, having joined CISS (Comit\u00e9 International des Sports des Sourds) in 1963 and making its debut at the 10th World Games of the Deaf in Washington. With the establishment of AISCD in 1965 and recognition from the Government of India in 1969, we've been striving to empower deaf athletes. As we gear up for the 25th Deaflympics, we're proud to showcase India's talent and spirit on the global stage,\u201d said G. Suresh Kumar, the secretary-general of the All India Sports Council for the Deaf.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Three-time gold medalist Jerlin will be India\u2019s flag-bearer at the Deaflympics 2025. Tokyo will be Jerlin\u2019s third Deaflympics. The Madurai girl played her first Deaflympics in 2017 when she was 13. Jerlin went on to create history at the 2021 Summer Deaflympics (held in 2022 in Brazil) by winning three gold medals in women\u2019s singles, mixed doubles in Badminton, and the team event. Her outstanding achievements earned her the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2022, making her the first Indian woman Deaflympian to receive this honour.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cBeing chosen as the flagbearer is a moment of great pride and emotion for me. This is my third Deaflympics, but the first time I\u2019ll be leading my country with the flag \u2014 it feels truly special. It represents years of hard work, dedication, and the honour of carrying not just the flag, but the dreams of every athlete on our team. I\u2019m deeply grateful for this opportunity,\u201d said Jerlin.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Three-time gold medalist Jerlin will be India\u2019s flag-bearer at the Deaflympics 2025. Tokyo will be Jerlin\u2019s third Deaflympics. The Madurai girl played her first Deaflympics in 2017 when she was 13. Jerlin went on to create history at the 2021 Summer Deaflympics (held in 2022 in Brazil) by winning three gold medals in women\u2019s singles, mixed doubles in Badminton, and the team event. Her outstanding achievements earned her the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2022, making her the first Indian woman Deaflympian to receive this honour.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In the last Deaflympics 2021 held in Caxias Do Sul, Brazil, in May 2022, India presented 39 male and 26 female athletes. India won a best-ever 16 medals \u2013 eight gold, 1 silver, and seven bronze to finish 9th among 77 participating nations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n