Indian Paralympics has gotten more attention ever since the Tokyo Paralympics where the Indian athletes won 19 Medals which was the best ever performance. And the greatest Paralympics athlete from India has to be Devendra Jhajharia. He has represented India since 2004 till 2021.
Let’s look at the life and career of Devendra Jhajharia
Personal Life
Devendra Jhajharia was born in 1981 in Churu Rajasthan. He was at the age of eight and while climbing a tree he touched a live electric cable and as a result his left hand had to be amputated. This made him a Paralympics athlete. In the year 1997, he was spotted by RD Singh and ever since he has trained Devendra Jhajharia. After his retirement Devendra Jhajharia is employed with the Rajasthan Forest Department. The parents of Devendra Jhajharia were Jevani Devi and Ram Singh Jhajharia.
Career
In the 2004 Athens Paralympics, he qualified for the first time for India. He performed at his best as he threw a World record throw of 62.15M which smashed the previous world record of 59.77M and he won the Gold Medal in his debut Paralympics. He became a hero for all athletes with disability. He was the second Gold Medalist for India at Paralympics after Murli Kant Petkar. In the 2013 World Athletics Championships he won the Gold Medal in the F46 category. He also won the Silver Medal at the 2014 Asian Para Games.
In 2015, Devendra Jhajharia wom the Silver Medal in Javelin Throw with a throw of 59.06M. Guo Chunliang won the Gold Medal. In the 2016, Rip Paralympics he again won the Gold Medal in the F46 event with another world record throw of 63.97M. And finally in the Tokyo Paralympics he won the Silver Medal in the F46 event. He is one of the rarest few 3 time Olympics Medalist for India.
Honors and Achievements
He won the Gold Medal in the 2004 Athens Paralympics.
He won the Gold Medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics
He won the Silver Medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics
He won the Gold Medal at the 2013 World Athletics Championships
He won the Silver Medal at the 2015 World Athletics Championships
He won the Silver Medal at the 2014 Asian Para Games.
He was awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2017
He won the Padma Shri Award in 2012
He was awarded the Padma Bhushan Award in 2022
