India, on Monday witnessed a historic moment as shooter Avani Lekhara became the first woman from the country to win a Paralympic gold medal. Avani won the medal in the women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing (SH1) event at the ongoing Tokyo Paralympics.

Wishes poured in from all quarters, including the Chairman of the Mahindra Group, Anand Mahindra. However, the industrialist has a special gift for the champion.

In a tweet, the industrialist announced that the company was dedicating its first-ever customised sport utility vehicle(SUV) for people with disabilities to shooter Avani Lekhara.

Also read: ‘On top of the world’: Avani Lekhara, first Indian woman to win gold at Paralympics

He said that the first such vehicle to be developed by the company would be gifted to the 19-year-old.

The Chairman of the Mahindra Group shared the news on Twitter and said that the idea for such a vehicle was presented to the automobile industry by the President of the Paralympic Committee of India, Deepa Malik.

The purpose of the SUV would be to make travelling by road a comfortable and easy experience for people with special abilities. 

In the tweet, Anand Mahindra said, “A week ago, Deepa Malik suggested that we develop SUV for those with disabilities. Like the one she uses in Tokyo. I requested my colleague Velu, who heads Development to rise to that challenge. Well, Velu, I’d like to dedicate & gift the first one you make to Avani Lekhara.”

Meanwhile, Anand Mahindra’s decision was met with a positive response on social media. Reacting to the tweet, a user said, “Wish there were many more of your kind to give a level playing field for our special children to excel in their chosen fields.”

Also read: India celebrates big win at Paralympics: PM Modi, President congratulate winners

Another user commented that such gestures of appreciation were essential for athletes.

Additionally, Avani Lekhara also holds the distinction of setting a new Paralympic record with her score of 249.6. Avani, who is from Jaipur, had sustained spinal cord injuries in a car accident in 2012.