Who won the first gold medal for India in the Paralympic Games?

Appeared in: NORCET 7 Prelims -2024

Explanation

Murlikant Petkar was the first athlete from India to win a gold medal in the Paralympic Games.
He achieved this historic milestone at the 1972 Summer Paralympics held in Heidelberg, Germany.
Petkar competed in the 50-meter freestyle swimming event and also set a world record of 37.33 seconds to claim the top position.

Option A: Deepa Malik was the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympics, but she won a silver medal, not the first gold for India.
Option B: This name is likely a distractor. Devendra Jhajharia is a celebrated javelin thrower who won his first Paralympic gold in 2004, but he was not the first Indian to do so.
Option C: Mary Kom is a decorated Olympic boxer and has not participated in the Paralympic Games.

Visual 1: Photograph - A picture of Murlikant Petkar, which can help students associate the name with the person.
Visual 2: Infographic - A timeline of India's major achievements at the Paralympic Games, starting with Murlikant Petkar's 1972 gold.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain General Knowledge: Indian Sports History as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
This question highlights the importance of recognizing achievements in all fields of sport, including para-athletics.
Awareness of such historical milestones fosters a sense of national pride and provides inspiration.
What if the question asked about the first Winter Paralympics gold medalist for India? As of 2024, India has not yet won a medal at the Winter Paralympics, making this an important distinction.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the key elements of the question: 'first gold medal', 'India', and 'Paralympic Games'.
This is a factual recall question from general knowledge.
Evaluate each option based on your knowledge of Indian sports personalities.
Eliminate options that are clearly incorrect, such as athletes from different sports or games (e.g., Mary Kom in the Olympics).
Differentiate between similar-sounding achievements (e.g., first medal vs. first gold medal, or first female medalist vs. first overall medalist).
Select the option that precisely matches all the criteria in the question.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full NORCET 7 Prelims -2024

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.