Deepa Malik Is the First Woman Para-Athlete to Win the Khel Ratna Award
Deepa Malik is delighted about winning the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award and is the only other para-athlete to win this award after Devendra Jhajharia in 2017. She shares this prestigious award with wrestler Bajrang Punia. “There is an assumption that para-athletes represent only 5% of the country, but we never go with 5% of the Flag, do we?” these emphatic words of Deepa Malik reveal her passion and dedication towards her sport. Admirable Achievements Deepa Malik became the first Indian woman to win a medal in Paralympic Games when she won a Silver medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Shot Put event. She has also won gold in F-53/54 Javelin event at the para athletic Grand Prix held in Dubai in 2018. She even competed in a new event – Discus throw and bagged the bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Para Games. She created a New Asian Record in Asian Para Games 2018 and is the only Indian woman to win medals in 3 consecutive Asian Para Games (2010, 2014, 2018). The Khel Ratna Award The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award is India’s highest sporting honour. Wrestler Bajrang Punia is the co-recipient of the honour this year and Deepa Malik is very happy for him. She said that Bajrang’s mentor and former Khel Ratna awardee Yogeshwar Dutt hails from her village and so it is celebration time in her village. Deepa Malik is also the proud recipient of the Arjuna award in 2012 and the prestigious Padma Shri award in 2017. Image Source: myKhel
