Rio de Janeiro: India's Deepa Malik created history on Monday by becoming the first-ever woman from the country to win a medal at the Paralympics when she bagged a silver in the shot put F-53 event here.

Deepa's best throw of 4.61m from her six attempts was enough to give her the silver medal.

India have now secured three medals from the Rio Paralympics.

Deepa will receive a cash award of Rs 4 crore under Haryana Sports Scheme for her feat.

Bahrain's Fatema Nedham won the gold medal with a best throw of 4.76m, while Dimitra Korokida of Greece bagged the bronze medal with a throw of 4.28m.

Deepa is a paraplegic, paralysed from waist down and mother of two married to an Army officer. Deepa's life took a twist when a spinal tumour made walking impossible for her 17 years ago.

The spinal tumour had to be operated and 31 surgeries were conducted on Deepa which was healed after 183 stitches between her waist and legs.

Besides shot put, Deepa has participated in javelin throw, swimming and has also been a motivational speaker.

She has also won medals in swimming at international competitions. She holds the Asian record in javelin throw, and also has World Championships silver medals in shot put and discus in 2011.

Deepa's silver is India's third medal of the Games after Mariyappan Thangavelu and Varun Singh Bhati won gold and bronze medals respectively in men's high jump.

Mariyappan, meanwhile, will be the country's flag-bearer at the closing ceremony of the Rio Games here on September 18.

"Thangavelu Mariyappan will take lead as the flag-bearer of the closing ceremony at the Paralympic Games 2016!," the Indian Olympic Association tweeted from its official handle.

Mariyappan became only the third Indian ever to clinch a gold medal in the Paralympics.

Mariyappan, who was merely a five-year-old when his right leg was crushed by a speeding bus, joined Murlikant Petkar (1972, swimming) and Devendra Jhajharia (2004, javelin throw) in the Indian Paralympics gold club.

Mariyappan won the yellow metal in the T-42 high jump event with a best effort of 1.89m, leaving behind world champion Sam Grewe of the USA who registered 1.86m.

The T-42 classification is for athletes with lower limb deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power or impaired range of movement.