Devendra Jhajharia Biography 
Devendra Jhajharia is an Indian Paralympic javelin thrower, who is currently active in this field. He is the first Indian player to win two gold medals at the Paralympics. He won it for the first time in the javelin throw at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens. When he made this achievement he was only the second Indian Paralympian to win a gold at Paralympics. He won gold medal at Paralympics for the second time in 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, where he won from the same event. Government of India honoured him with Arjuna Award in 2004 and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2017. He was honoured Padma Shri in 2012, the first Paralympian to be so honoured with Padma awards.
Devendra Jhajharia was born on 10 June 1981 in Churu District in Rajasthan. He lost his left hand when he was 8 years old. The fatal incident occurred when he climbed on a tree and accidentally touched a live electric cable. Though he received immediate medical attention, his left hand got amputated. His talent was first spotted by Ripudaman Singh Aulakh, an Indian athletics coach from Hanumangarh, Rajasthan. He was competing at a school sports day, when R. D. Singh spotted him and later coached him. Singh was his coach, when Jhajharia won 2004 Paralympic Gold Medal, making it a historic moment for the country. He was 23 years old then.
As a professional player, he received his first international medal in year 2002, when he played 8th FESPIC Games in South Korea and finished with gold. He got qualified to Summer Paralaympic Games in 2004, and also earned his first gold medal. In 2013 he got gold medal at the IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon. In 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, he claimed a silver.
Published: February 03, 2019
Updated: February 03, 2019
