Indian athletes may not have won many medals in the Paris Olympics, but India is hopeful of medals from its para-athletes in the upcoming Paralympics 2024. At the same time, Indian Paralympic high jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu has emerged as an emerging player even in adverse circumstances. Mariyappan Thangavelu is India’s biggest hope of winning a medal.
Born on June 28, 1995 in Salem, Tamil Nadu, Thangavelu’s journey has been marked by a tragic accident at the age of five, which caused permanent disability in his right leg. Despite this setback, he has risen to prominence in the world of para athletics, and has inspired many with his achievements.
Thangavelu’s introduction to athletics began during his school days when a physical education teacher encouraged him to take up high jumping. His talent soon became apparent, and he began competing, even finishing second in his first event against able-bodied athletes at the age of 14.
His hard work achieved a major breakthrough when he won the gold medal at the 2015 IPC World Championships in Doha, Qatar, which set the stage for his historic performance at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
At the Rio Paralympics, Thangavelu won the gold medal in the men’s high jump T-42 category by jumping 1.89 meters. At the Tokyo Paralympics, he got the silver medal. Now Thangavelu is at the Paris Paralympics. His goal is to promote a more inclusive society where people with disabilities can fulfill their dreams without any obstacles.
