Asian Para Games 2026The athlete whom her own relatives once called 'mad' and even compared to an animal has now brought glory to the nation at the Asian Para Games. We are talking about Deepti Jeevanji, who won the gold medal in the 400m T20 category, clocking a record-breaking time.
She finished in 56.36 seconds, setting a new Games record. This marks Deepti’s second gold medal at the Asian Para Games; she also secured the top spot at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
Deepti Jeevanji’s Struggle
Deepti was born in Kalleda village, in the Warangal district of Telangana. She was born with an intellectual disability. Because she had a small head and unusual facial features at birth, villagers and relatives compared her to animals.
Many people advised her parents to leave the child in an orphanage, but they refused to do so. Although Deepti’s parents were daily-wage laborers, they managed to raise their daughter as best as they could.
How did Deepti’s life change?
Deepti’s life was transformed by her school’s physical education teacher, Biyani Venkateswarlu, who recognized her talent. Deepti began running when she was in the ninth grade. Later, she received training from the renowned coach Nagpuri Ramesh.
Following a suggestion from the legendary badminton player Pullela Gopichand, she underwent testing at the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities in Hyderabad, which enabled her to compete as a para-athlete. Today, she is bringing great honor and recognition to her country.
Silver and Bronze Medals Won
At the ongoing Asian Para Games in Japan, Pradeep Kumar secured a silver medal for the country. He narrowly missed out on winning gold in the F53/F54 javelin throw event. Meanwhile, Bhavina Patel also earned a medal in the table tennis competition at the Asian Para Games.
She won a bronze medal, having faced defeat against China’s eight-time Paralympic champion, Zhang Bian. Patel, a former Paralympic silver medalist, lost 7-11, 5-11, 7-11, and had to settle for a bronze medal—her second consecutive bronze at this major event.
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