Bhavina Patel's family performs 'Garba' after she wins silver at Tokyo Paralympics. Watch video
Bhavina Patel started playing table tennis 13 years ago at the Blind People's Association at Vastrapur area of Ahmedabad
Bhavinaben Patel's family members were overwhelmed with joy after the Tennis player won a historic silver medal in her maiden Paralympic Games on Sunday.
Bhavina Patel's family members and friends were seen performing 'Garba' in Mehsana after her victory.
The 34-year-old Patel's impressive run at the Games ended with a 7-11 5-11 6-11 loss to world number one Chinese paddler Ying Zhou in the women's singles summit clash which lasted 19 minutes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as President Ram Nath Kovid also congratulated Bhavina for her phenomenal performance.
"The remarkable Bhavina Patel has scripted history! ...Her life journey is motivating and will also draw more youngsters towards sports," PM Modi said in a tweet.
President Kovid wrote, "...Your extraordinary determination and skills have brought glory to India. My congratulations to you on this exceptional achievement".
Patel, a wheelchair player, started playing the sport 13 years ago at the Blind People's Association at Vastrapur area of Ahmedabad where she was a student of ITI for people with disabilities.
There, she saw visually impaired children playing table tennis and decided to take up the sport. She won her first medal in a competition while representing Rotary Club in Ahmedabad, where she is settled now after her marriage to Nikunj Patel, who has played junior cricket for Gujarat.
She reached world number two ranking in 2011 after winning a silver medal for India in PTT Thailand Table Tennis Championship. In October 2013, Patel won another silver in the women's singles Class 4 at the Asian Para table tennis championships in Beijing.
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