Deepa Malik, the president of the Paralympic Committee of India and a former shot putter, has great expectations from the Indian contingent this year. She was extremely happy with the increase in the number of Indian athletes participating this year. This year’s Indian contingent is the highest ever of 54 athletes. “I have worked very hard with the athletes in the role of the President and I am very proud to accompany the athletes“, Deepa told ANI.
Who is Deepa Malik?
Deepa Malik was born on 30 September 1970; she started her career at the age of 30. She is the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympics. In the 2016 Paralympic Games, she took silver in the shot put. She previously received the Arjuna award in 2012, when she was 42 years old. In 2017, she was also awarded the prestigious Padma Shri award.
Deepa Malik Asian record
In the 2018 Asian Para Games, she set a new Asian record and became the first Indian woman to win medals in three consecutive Asian Para Games (2010, 2014, 2018). To date, she has won 58 national and 23 international medals in a variety of sports.
In 2019 she received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honor in India. She was the world number one in the F-53 category athlete until her retirement. Deepa retired to continue being the President of the Paralympic Committee of India. According to the National Sports Code, an active athlete cannot hold an official position in any federation that forced Deepa to retire.
Her Views on Paralympics in India
Deepa Malik is on a mission to change the Paralympic scene in India. “These are little things, but they go a long way in getting the best out of them. We are passionate about the growth of the para-sports,” said Malik, who is attempting to implement administrative reforms that she believed were lacking when she competed.
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