Deepthi Jeevanji etched her name in history during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, becoming the first intellectually impaired Indian athlete to earn a Paralympic medal. On Tuesday, the 20-year-old para-athlete secured a bronze medal in the women’s 400m T20 class, clocking a time of 55.82 seconds. She finished behind Ukraine’s Yulia Shuliar and Turkiye’s Ayser Onder, who completed the race in 55.16 seconds and 55.23 seconds, respectively.

The T20 class is designated for athletes with intellectual disabilities, and Deepthi holds the distinct honor of being the inaugural Indian representative in this category at the Paralympic Games. Despite facing cognitive challenges that impact her communication and comprehension skills, she has demonstrated exceptional resilience and determination.

Deepthi was born in a rural village in Telangana, where she endured considerable adversity during her childhood. There were moments when the community suggested her parents forsake her due to her condition. Nevertheless, her parents remained steadfastly supportive despite encountering financial difficulties.

Her immense potential was recognized by her coach, N. Ramesh, at the age of 15, marking the beginning of a remarkable journey toward athletic excellence. As a reigning Para World Champion and a gold medallist at the 2023 Asian Para Games, Deepthi has continually pushed herself to achieve new heights. At the World Championships, she set a world record with a time of 55.07 seconds, a record that was recently surpassed by Onder, who recorded a time of 54.96 seconds in the heats, just days before the Paralympic finals.

Deepthi’s achievement represents India’s 16th Paralympic medal at Paris 2024, further underscoring the nation’s growing prominence in the athletics domain at the games. Additionally, fellow athletes such as Sumit Antil, who secured a gold in the men’s javelin throw F64 class, and silver medallist Nishad Kumar in the men’s high jump T47, alongside bronze medallist Preethi Pal in the women’s T35 100m and 200m events, have collectively boosted India’s medal tally and spirit at this prestigious event.

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