New Delhi: With India clinching a record haul of 29 medals at the Paris Paralympics 2024, several first-time medallists claimed the spotlight. Deepthi Jeevanji is one such para-athlete who shone for the nation at the grand stage as she won a bronze medal in the women’s 400m T20 category final race. Although she was short of her best timing, clocking 55.82 seconds, she finished behind Ukraine’s Yuliia Shuliar and world record holder Aysel Onder of Turkey.
Every para-athlete has a story of valour to reveal, of defying the odds and shining for the nation. For Deepthi, it was a massive moment as she overcame hostility on her path for being intellectually impaired. She recently revealed that her neighbours used to call her a “monkey” and that her parents were even asked to send her to an orphanage as she retraced her Paralympic medal path.
“I was born during an eclipse, so our neighbours kept speaking against me. They called me monkey and advised my parents to abandon me or leave me at an orphanage. But I ignored all the negativity and focused on my sport. It was my family’s support that helped me overcome these challenges and earn this medal,” Deepthi told India Today.
The financial problems for his family were such that her parents had to sell their land, only which she got back after winning the Asian Games medal. Even her parents recalled how their daughter had to face taunts due to her disability as she grew up. The disease is cognitive which hampers communication and also adaptive skills.
Deepthi – a special girl
In an interview with The Indian Express in May, Deepthi’s mother Jeevanji Dhanalaxmi revealed that she was born during the solar eclipse and her head was too small at birth along with her lips and nose being a bit unusual. She said that villagers and their relatives used to call her names like pichi (mental) and kothi (monkey) and even told them to send her to an orphanage.
Deepthi won a gold medal in her category at the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships held in Kobe, Japan. Her mother added that seeing her daughter become the world champion in a foreign land proves that she is indeed a special girl.
Deepthi Jeevanji finished third in the women’s 400m T20 category final race, clocking 55.82 seconds, and bagged a bronze medal for India at the Paris Paralympics 2024. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
