Devendra Jhajharia : Role Model For the Disables

Jagannath Pradhan

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We all like playing outdoor games, but COVID—19 has taken this bliss away. When was the last time you heard that a person took part in Paralympics and won a medal for the country? Probably…., you may have heard. What are the struggles faced before winning a medal for a physically challenged? Winning a medal for the country when you are physically challenged is a great deal of effort.

If a physically handicapped wins something, they will be in limelight for just one day, and then, everybody forgets them. Just imagine….you got a gold medal for our country and people remembered you just for one day, and then, they forgot you.  How dejected you would feel when nobody wants to remember you for winning something for the country!

Why these physically handicapped sportsperson are not in limelight who have brought laurels for our country? How can a physically challenged person win? What should we learn from them? These questions might be pondering in your head which needs an information about it.

While the cricket players earn name and fame from playing, rest of the sportsmen who also deserve fame go unnoticed. People also think that physically handicapped persons cannot achieve something in life. But this is not true. Through determination, practice, perseverance and consistency, a person can win anything which holds even if he is physically challenged. These qualities can be learnt from them. We should advise our governments to let these interested and talented sportsmen win for our country. If possible, we should grant money to NGOs that would help them. Some sportsmen are fortunate to get a coach like Mr. RD Singh who helped him to achieve success.

While everyone wants to listen and take pride when a person wins medals for our country, but nobody helps these talented persons when they had not won the medals. When they had not won anything, at that time, they were struggling to participate in competitions. These people should be helped by giving stipends and facilities to participate in the competitions.

A physically handicapped person, Devendra Jhajharia, won gold in Paralympics even when he had lost his left arm. From the time this happened to the present when he got a gold medal in 2004 in Javelin throw, it was a great deal of struggle.

 

Interesting Facts and Unknown Facts(his struggles)
1.Lost his left arm:

  • As an eight year old kid, he was playing a ball outside alike any other kid of that age. Then, his ball got stuck in a tree, and he climbed up a tree. Unknown that a cable wire was there, he touched the cable with an electric volt of 11,000 volts passing through a tree. At that time, he was alone. Also, the place was near to the village.
  •  When villagers saw smoke, they rushed to the site. People declared him dead.
  • When came to consciousness, he found that his left arm was burnt. The doctor told him that he would never be strong in his life.
2. Gained late popularity:

He was a truly unappreciated man as he  gained fame in 2004 when he won a gold medal in Javelin throw(F46 category). Because he made a world record of 62.15m, he became widely known.

3. Broke his record:

In 2016 at Rio Olympics, Jhajharia surpassed his expectations when he broke his record with a new world record of 63.97m. Thus, he won the second Paralympic game.
4. Mentored by his coach Rd Singh
A true student`s achievements are due to his guru. This is proved by Jhajharia`s coach, Rd Singh. Additionally, his coach mentored him and gave him advices during training.

 

 

The unknown facts make a tinkling effect in our heart. For getting the fame and name of our country, he had left no stone unturned. From this, other physically challenged would get a source of inspiration.

His achievements include the following:
  1. During 2002 in South Korea, he won a gold medal 8th FESPIC games
  1. Then, he also set a new world record with a distance of 62.15m eclipsing the old one of 59.77m and received fame not before 2004.
  1. In Rio Olympics, he broke his record by throwing a javelin to a distance of 63.78m.
  1. Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2017)
  1. FICCI Para-Sportsperson of the Year (2014)
  1. Padma Shri (2012; first Paralympian to be so honored
  1. Arjuna Award (2004)

 

From my perspective, he was a man of courage to participate and bring laurels for our country. As he was underrated, it is our duty to ensure that such talented persons are helped with whatever we can do to help them.

 

In a nutshell, nothing is impossible if a person has determination, focus like an eagle, perseverance and tranquility….That`s why he was an astounding winner!

                                                                                Authored By 

                                                                                 Jagannath Pradhan

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