Paris Paralympics: Simran wins bronze in women's 200m T12 final
Paris, Sep 7: Braving all odds with a steely resolve, India's Simran won the bronze medal in the women's 200m T12 final at the Paralympic Games here on Saturday.
Reigning world champion Simran finished third on the podium with a personal best time of 24.75 seconds in what was a culmination of a journey that was fraught with obstacles right from the day she was born.
The T12 classification in the Paralympics is for athletes with visual impairments.
The 24-year-old Simran was born prematurely and spent the next 10 weeks in an incubator where it was discovered that she is visually impaired.
The Indian, who became world champion this year in Kobe, Japan, faced numerous challenges throughout her life, including her father's chronic illness and eventual passing.
She had earlier finished fourth in the 100m event.
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PM Modi to address the nation tonight at 8.30 PM
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation tonight at 8.30 PM, a day after a bill to implement women's reservation in legislatures was defeated in the Lok Sabha.
"The Prime Minister will address the nation at 8.30 PM (April 18, Saturday)," an official said.
Modi is expected to delve into the issue of implementation of women's quota and the happenings in Parliament, where opposition parties on Friday voted against the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill.
Under the Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased up to 816 from the current 543 to "operationalise" the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. Seats were also to be increased in state and UT assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women.
A two-thirds majority was required for the passage of the crucial bill but the ruling BJP-led alliance could not muster the numbers.
During polling on the bill in the Lok Sabha on Friday night, 298 members voted in its support, while 230 MPs voted against it.
Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes for a two-thirds majority.
