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Gold medal-winning archer Harvinder Singh and sprinter Preethi Pal, who made history by becoming the first-ever Indian woman to win two medals at the Paralympics, will be the country's flag bearers during the closing ceremony of the Paris Games on Sunday.Harvinder, 33, who had also scripted history by becoming the first Indian archer to clinch a gold at the Paralympics to add to the bronze he won in Tokyo in 2021, said carrying the country's flag during the closing ceremony was the highest honor he could have dreamed of."Winning gold for India has been a dream come true, and now leading our nation as a flag-bearer at the closing ceremony is the highest honor I could imagine. This victory is for everyone who believed in me, and I hope to inspire many more to pursue their dreams," said the Haryana-based Harvinder, who has impairment in both legs since he was a toddler.Preethi, 23, who clinched bronze medals in women's T35 100m and 200m competitions with personal best timings of 14.21 and 30.01 seconds respectively, said she was thrilled with the news."It is a great honor to represent India as a flag bearer. This moment is not just about me; it's about every para-athlete who has pushed their limits to make our nation proud. I am thrilled to be leading our incredible team at the closing ceremony." Preeti, born in Uttar Pradesh, is a T35 athlete, who suffers from coordination impairments such as hypertonia, ataxia, and athetosis.The Indian contingent's chef de mission Satya Prakash Sangwan said in a statement that the two athletes' performance will inspire future generations."Harvinder Singh's historic gold in archery and Preethi Pal's stellar performance in athletics have made them true ambassadors of our nation's grit and determination.""Their role as flag-bearers at the closing ceremony is a symbol of the incredible journey our athletes have undertaken. Their achievements inspire us all, and I am confident they will continue to motivate future generations of para-athletes," said Sangwan.India has so far won 26 medals, including six gold and nine silver, which is their best-ever performance at the Paralympics.

India Bags Medals at World Para Athletics ChampionshipsIndia's para-athletes have made a strong start at the World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan, securing a silver and a bronze medal on Sunday.Nishad Kumar, a Tokyo Paralympics silver medalist, cleared 1.99m in the men's T47 high jump final to finish second behind American Roderick Townsend, who won gold with a jump of 2.05m. Kumar's silver is India's first medal at the championships.Preethi Pal added a bronze to India's tally in the women's T35 200m final, clocking a time of 30.49 seconds. The T35 category is for athletes with coordination impairments.Deepthi Jeevanji also impressed, qualifying for the women's T20 400m final after winning her heat race in an Asian record time of 56.18 seconds. The T20 category is for athletes with intellectual impairment.India's performance has been encouraging, with the team currently ranked 29th in the medal tally. China leads the standings with 26 podium finishes, including 10 gold medals.The championships will continue until May 25, and India will be hoping to add to its medal count in the coming days.