For Asian Games 2026: Indian athlete Deepti Jeevanji has once again proved her talent in the ongoing Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. On Tuesday, October 20, she won the gold medal in the women’s 400 meter T20 competition with a timing of 56.36 seconds. With this performance he also created a record in the Asian Para Games and made India proud.
The story of Deepti, who came from a small village in Telangana and became recognized at the international level, is an example of struggle, hard work and determination. He faced many difficulties in his childhood, but he never left his dreams behind. Today he is a Paralympic medalist, world champion and Arjuna Awardee.
Who is Deepti Jeevanji?
Deepti Jeevanji was born on 27 September 2003 in Kalera village of Warangal district of Telangana. She was affected by intellectual disability since birth. Due to this, he faced difficulties in learning things and communicating in his childhood. His parents came from a very ordinary family and used to run the family by working as daily wage laborers in others’ fields. Later his father also worked as a truck cleaner.
In childhood, some people of the village used to make fun of Deepti about her behavior and mental condition. Some people even called him a monkey, while some advised his parents to leave him in an orphanage. However, the family did not give in to what people said and gave the daughter a chance to move forward. To bear the expenses of Deepti’s training, her parents had even sold their land.
Coach N. How did Ramesh recognize Deepti’s talent?
The year 2019 brought an important turning point in Deepti’s life. During a state level competition, Indian coach N. Ramesh’s eyes fell on 15 year old Deepti. She was running on the track barefoot without shoes. Seeing his speed and stamina, coach Ramesh understood that he had extraordinary talent. After this he convinced Deepti’s parents to send her to Hyderabad for better training. Later, on the advice of badminton coach Pullela Gopichand, Deepti’s intellectual disability was assessed. After this he was given training in T20 category of Para Athletics.
What are the achievements in your name?
1. Deepti Jeevanji had created history by winning the bronze medal in the women’s 400 meter T20 competition in the 2024 Paris Paralympics. She became the first intellectually disabled athlete from India to win a medal in the Paralympic Games.
2. Deepti also performed brilliantly in the World Para Athletics Championship held in Kobe, Japan in the year 2024. She created a world record in the women’s 400 meter T20 race by registering a time of 55.07 seconds and became the world champion.
3. Deepti Jeevanji was awarded the Arjuna Award in the year 2024 for her outstanding performance and achievements in sports.