"140 Olympic and Paralympic athletes together": Nita M Ambani celebrates unifying power of sport

This comes after India's record haul at the Paris Paralympics, a total of 29 medals, including seven gold, nine silver and 13 bronze medals.

Speaking at the event, Nita Ambani said: "This is truly historic. Over the last two months, our Olympians and Paralympians proudly took the tricolor to the world! Tonight, for the first time, theyareallunder one roof. Tonight, for the first time, there are over 140 Olympic and Paralympic athletes who have come together on the same platform. United in Triumph, United in Celebration and United in the inclusive spirit of sport."

Ambani also spoke about the 'transformational power of sport' and hailed the contribution of India's female athletes to the country's Olympic successes, saying, "Their successes are even more special because of the difficulties women face in pursuing professional sport. Not just economic challenges, even getting permission from their families, or finding facilities to train, access to physios and rehab centres, or simply how far they have to travel from their villages to reach a coach. It is a long and difficult journey for girls to get recognised in sports. And despite that, our female athletes have reached the pinnacle of success. Theyare sending out a strong message to the little girls who are watching - a message that they are unstoppable and that nothing is impossible for them!"

Akash Ambani, Chairman Reliance Jio Infocomm, thanked the athletes for their presence, saying, "On behalf of the entire Reliance family, thank you for your inspiration. I would also like to thank my mother, Nita Ambani, for making this evening possible. Like everything else we do at Reliance Foundation, United in Triumph is her vision."

Athletes across disciplines were honoured for their hard work, passion, and the profound impact they have had in bringing India to the global forefront in both the Olympics and Paralympics.

Among the attendees were Olympic and Paralympic medallists such as Neeraj Chopra, Manu Bhaker, and Murlikant Petkar, India's first-ever Paralympic gold medalist. Also present were Devendra Jhajharia, the first Indian to win two Paralympic gold medals, and the President of the Paralympic Committee of India, alongside Sumit Antil,Nitesh Kumar, Harvinder Singh, Dharambir Nain, Navdeep Singh, and Praveen Kumar, who all secured gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

The event was graced by other notable athletes, including Preethi Pal, Mona Agarwal, Simran Sharma, Deepthi Jeevanji, and Olympians like Sarabjot Singh, Swapnil Kusale, and Aman Sehrawat. The Indian men's hockey team was represented by captain Harmanpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh, both members of the medal-winning squad in Paris. Olympic medalist Lovlina Borgohain and Dhinidhi Desinghu, the youngest member of India's contingent at just 14 years of age, were also in attendance. Their achievements have not only brought glory to the nation but have inspired future generations to strive for excellence in sports. The ceremony was also attended by Indian sporting legends like Deepa Malik, Sania Mirza, Karnam Malleswari, and Pullela Gopichand, who have inspired countless younger athletes with their achievements and excellence.

Bollywood superstars Ranveer Singh and Kartik Aaryan, who starred in sports-centric movies like '83' and 'Chandu Champion' respectively, were also at the event to show their support for India's sporting heroes and cheer the athletes on as they were honoured.

In a heartwarming and moving gesture, Nita Ambani was presented with the Paris 2024 Paralympic Torch, a symbol of equality and unity, by Devendra Jhajharia, Sumit Antil, and Satyanarayana, chief coaches of the Paralympic Committee of India, as a token of appreciation for her efforts to make sports more inclusive in India. United in Triumph not only celebrated athletic excellence but also highlighted the importance of equality in recognition, regardless of the arena. This event marked a new chapter in Indian sports, one where every athlete is celebrated for their dedication, resilience, and pursuit of excellence. The athletes reiterated their support for Ambani's vision of helping India become a sporting nation that has success in multiple sports and acknowledged the need to further bolster the Olympic movement in the country by showing their solidarity and committing to making a difference in their ways by inspiring the next-gen. (ANI)