Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra has dedicated the company’s first customised sport utility vehicle (SUV) for people with disabilities to shooter Avani Lekhara.

Lekhara on Monday made history, becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics.

“A week ago @DeepaAthlete suggested that we develop SUV’s 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 #AvaniLekhara,” Mahindra said in a tweet.

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Last week, responding to the a special request made by the President of the Paralympic Committee of India, Deepa Malik, to the Indian Automobile industry to manufacture special SUVs in India, Mahindra had said that the challenge would be taken up by a team at Mahindra Research Valley.

“We can work with companies like @TrueAssisTech which have already installed such systems in our cars. And we proudly cheer OUR contingent at #Paralympics #Praise4Para,” he had tweeted.

Shooter Avani Lekhara becomes first Indian woman to win gold at Paralympics

Lekhara on Monday shot her way to the top in the R-2 women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event.

World record

The 19-year-old finished with a world record equalling total of 249.6. This is also a new Paralympic record.

She’s the fourth Indian athlete to win a Paralympics gold, following swimmer Murlikant Petkar (1972), javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia (2004 and 2016) and high jumper Thangavelu Mariyappan (2016).

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