We all know, and have heard about the Olympics games that are held once in four years, the latest were the 2016 Rio Olympics, where we witnessed some of the great athletes in action - Mo Farah (UK), Usain Bolt (JAMAICA), Kevin Durant (USA), Michael Phelps (USA), Neymar (Brazil). These athletes became hero's overnight.
But very few know what follows after the Olympics is the Paralympic Games, which is similar to Olympics games where participants from all over the world gather for this major event, but the only major difference is that these participants are physically handicapped.
We all know Usain Bolt can run like a cheetah, no one can swim as quick as Michael Phelps and Neymar can play like Pele. But how many of us know about the players participating in the Paralympic Games. I bet many of us would not know even the names of these players. There are many who, in spite of being disabled have made their nation proud. The pain and the effort that these disabled athletes put in their games is remarkable.
Mariyappan Thangavelu, Devendra Jhajharia, Deepa Malik and Varun Singh Bhati are four such athletes who made India not only proud but showed the entire world that what others can do - We can do better.
- Mariyappan Thangavelu :
Mariyappan Thangavelu, born in a small village in Madras, now Chennai in Tamil Nadu. He was born in a poor family - where his mother worked as a laborer earning only $1.5 per day. Mariyappan Thangavelu, was only five years of age when he met with an accident while going to school, he was run over by a bus and lost his right leg. In spite of losing his leg, he showed interest in school sports, particularly in the high jump. His journey to success started at the age of 16 and only five later he won the gold medal in the high jump event at the Rio Paralympics. He was awarded prize money of $500,000 by the Indian and the state government.
- Devendra Jhajharia:
Devendra Jhajharia, born in Rajasthan, he loved playing, climbing and jumping. As all kids love to climb trees, Devendra also loved it. He was hit by a live electric wire while climbing a tall tree, he was immediately rushed to the hospital where the team of doctors had to amputate his left hand, but this did not stop Devendra from participating in Javelin throw. He won medals not only in India but also in 2004, summer Olympics. He received full support from his coach and Gosport's foundations. He did not let is country and his coach down when he won his second gold medal in the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
- Deepa Malik:
Deepa Malik is the first and only Indian woman to have won a medal at the Paralympics games - She won a Silver medal for India in the Shot Put event at the recently concluded Rio Paralympics games. Sitting in a wheelchair, the 46-year-old lion-hearted lady from Haryana, India not only made the nation proud but also set an example that women can do anything. She suffered from Spinal cord problem during her pregnancy, which later led to paralysis, but she fought against all this and today her name is written in several records books. What many people cannot achieve being normal, she has done more than that sitting in a wheel-chair.
- Varun Singh Bhati :
Varun Singh Bhati, born in Uttar Pradesh, India. He loved sports and his name was already in the headlines when he won several events in the high jump, in spite of being suffering from Poliovirus. But he attained major success in the Rio Paralympics games where he won a bronze medal.
This is a big achievement for all the four Indians, who made their country proud despite being physically handicapped. A lot can be learned from these four, who never gave up in their life.
Never Give Up In Life
Personal details source : Printed Newspaper