Deepthi Jeevanji

Indian para athlete

Deepthi Jeevanji

Personal information

Nationality

India

Born

(2003-09-27) 27 September 2003 (age 20)
Telangana, India

Sport

Paralympic athletics

Disability class

T20

Medal record

Women's para-athletics

Representing India
Paralympic Games
	2024 Paris	400 m T20
Asian Para Games
	2022 Hangzhou	400m T20
World Championships
	2024 Kobe	400 m T20

Deepthi Jeevanji (born 27 September 2003) is an Indian para-athlete.^[1] She won the bronze medal at the 2024 Paralympics in the 400 meters T20 race. At the 2024 World Championships, she set a world record of 55.06s.^[2] She previously set the Asian Para Games record in 2023.^[3] She broke the 55.12s record of Breanna Clark.^[3]

Early life

Jeevanji was born in Kalleda village, Warangal district, Telangana. Her parents, Jeevanji Yadhagiri and Jeevanji Dhanalaxmi, had a half-acre agricultural land, and also used to work at others' farms as daily wage labourers.^[4] She was spotted by her school PET teacher in her Class 9 in Warangal. Later, she came under coach Ramesh, the Indian coach of the Junior team.^[5] She was also supported by Pullela Gopichand, who suggested that she be tested at the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disability in Hyderabad. There, she was certified under the mentally impaired category, after the relevant tests, and that allowed her to participate as para athlete.^[5]^[6]

Career

Jeevanji was selected for the Indian team that took part in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Para Games, where she won the gold medal^[7] with a new Asian Para record and the Games record on 24 October 2023 in her pet event, the 400m run in T20 category.^[8]^[9] She clocked a time of 56.69s to take the gold ahead of Thailand’s Orawan Kaising.^[10] Japan's Niina Kanno won the bronze.^[11]She was selected to the Indian team that took part at 2024 world Paralympics championships in Kobe, Japan Championships in May in the 100m and 200m (Category F) after two gold in the All-India Inter-University Championships gold at Bhubaneshwar.

Earlier, she qualified for the finals setting a new Asian record with a time of 56.18 seconds and secured a Paris 2024 Paralympics quota.with a second place in the 100m (Category F) at the Indian U20 Federation Cup at Chhotu Bhai Purani Sports Complex, Nadiad.^[12]

References

^ Velugu, V6 (2023-10-25). "దీప్తికి గోల్డ్‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌". V6 Velugu (in Telugu). Retrieved 2023-10-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ "Deepthi Jeevanji etches new world record, bags Gold in Women's 400m T20 category at Para Athletics World Championship". The Times of India. 2024-05-20. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
^ ^a ^b Sportstar, Team (2024-05-20). "World Para Athletics C'ships 2024: Deepthi Jeevanji breaks world record to win women's T20 400m gold". Sportstar. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
^ "Taunted for her features as a child, Deepthi Jeevanji, backed by Gopichand, strikes gold at World Athletics Para Championship". The Indian Express. 2024-05-20. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
^ ^a ^b "Taunted for being 'mentally impaired' once, Para world champion Deepthi Jeevanji is now feted in village". The Times of India. 2024-05-20. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
^ "Called 'Monkey, Mental' By Fellow Villagers, Deepthi Jeevanji Fights Taboo To Achieve Paralympics Glory". NDTV.
^ "India wins two gold on Day 2 of Hangzhou Asian Para Games, medal count swells to 24". The Economic Times. 2023-10-24. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
^ Sports Desk, Outlook (2023-10-24). "Deepthi Jeevanji Clinches Gold, Shatters Games And Asian Records In Women's 400m-T20". www.outlookindia.com. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
^ Livemint (2023-10-24). "Asian Para Games Day 2: India's Prachi Yadav and Deepthy Jeevanji win gold". mint. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
^ Sportstar, Team (2023-10-24). "Asian Para Games 2023 medals tally Highlights: October 24 - India fifth with 10 gold medals; China on top". Sportstar. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
^ "Deepthi Jeevanji sets new Asian Para Games record with gold in 400m-T20". The Times of India. 2023-10-24. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
^ "Deepthi JEEVANJI | Profile | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2023-10-25.