Who is more disabled?

who is more disabled - incredible opinions

India won 6 medals in 2016 Olympics held in Brazil. Out of these 6 medals, 4 came from Paralympics. India's Paralympic athletes won 2 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze at Rio. Sakshi Malik and PV Sindhu, the only ladies who won medals in 2016 Olympics received so much love and blessings from all the Indians living in India and abroad. Do they know about Deepa Malik who is also a woman athlete who won silver for India in Paralympics? How many of them know about the Paralympic athletes who won laurels for India? Did you hear any news or advertising campaigns where all these athletes are featured?

India sent 19 Paralympic athletes to Rio to compete in 5 sports. It is India's best ever performance in Paralympics winning 4 medals (2 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze). India's national anthem was played twice in 2016 Paralympics when Devendra Jhajharia and Mariyappan Thangavelu won gold in their respective games which India couldn't get it played in Olympics 2016.

Devendra Jhajharia, 35, who won gold in Javelin throw, becomes the only Indian Paralympic athlete to win 2 gold medals for his country in 2 Paralympics (2004 Athens and 2016 Rio). He also did better than his last throw and set the new Olympic record in Javelin throw.

Mariyappan Thangavelu, 21, won gold for India in high jump competition. He received 2 crores ($US 300,000) from Tamil Nadu government. He donated 30 lacs out of this prize money to the government school in which he studied to improve the facilities.

Deepa Malik, 45, the silver medalist for India in 2016 Paralympics, is the first Indian woman to win any medal for India in Paralympics. Her silver medal in shot put is no less shiny than PV Sindhu's silver medal, yet her name is not so much popular in media.

Varun Singh Bhati, 21, is another high jumper from India who won bronze and stood on the podium with Mariyappan in Rio 2016 Paralympics. He made us proud as much as Sakshi Malik did while winning the bronze for the country. Sadly, I haven't heard any news or media mentions about him receiving any awards or prizes.

All the above-mentioned athletes are more brave and courageous because it takes a lot to deal with the physical challenges and come out as a winner in sports especially in a country fantasized with cricket. Nobody has gifted any BMWs to them (rather they have the heart to donate their prize as Mariyappan did) but they will always be our true heroes who will continue to inspire many other able-bodied people in our country.





8 comments

  1. I am in complete agreements with your views and empathize with the sentiments embedded in this post.

    Jitendra Mathur

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  2. I really appreciate you for highlighting this!!
    The problem is that, in our Indian culture people don't focus on or look out for things which are not highlighted. It's always been that way...special talents are not recognized in a hypocritical society like ours
    The Paralympic athletes will always be overshadowed unless they are highlighted and recognized in any way by any dedicated govt. agency or an NGO
    India is a country of only one sport: CRICKET
    here one cricketer earns around half a million Rupees/match
    where as a hockey player earns 50k-60k/match (even if they win it) and you can imagine the state of other sports
    Guess, that says it all!!

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    1. Thanks Harry for appreciating my post. I feel sad about the choices made by our media and society. I think some influential people must come forward and send a nice message by disregarding disability as any hurdle in becoming successful. If Sachin Tendulkar has gifted a BMW to PV Sindhu and also to Saina Nehwal in 2012, why there is no news of any appreciation by Sachin Tendulkar for Paralympic athletes who won laurels for the country. No NGO or Government can do anything if a common man does not recognize this as an element of discrimination.

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  3. Strange are the ways of our society and it is ironical that not only medal winners but the podium unfinishers are also recognized and the poor paralympians part with their trophy money. Hope the school authorities do justice to the money donated by Mariappan. Loved the quote by Robert Hensel..

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  4. Very well written.

    Its not only in India but most of the developing countries are unbeknownst to the achievements of these athletes. Its sad and the situation has to change.

    Regards

    Tajammul

    http://worldlyrealisation.blogspot.com/

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    1. It is true but our athletes are self made athletes and they are competing with athletes from the countries who have the best state of the art facilities.

      Thank you Mr. Kothari.

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