Yogesh Kathuniya

Discus throw, Para-Athletics

26-year-old Yogesh Kathuniya achieved a remarkable feat by clinching a silver medal in the Men’s Discus Throw F54/55/56 Final at the Asian Para Games 2023. Born on March 3, 1997, Yogesh Kathuniya, an Indian Paralympic athlete specialises in the discus throw. At the age of nine, Yogesh suffered a rare neurological disorder called Guillain-Barre syndrome causing quadriparesis (a condition in which the affected person has muscle weakness in all four limbs). The young boy was confined to a wheelchair, with physiotherapy as the only option for him. However, Yogesh’s mother Meena Devi was determined to help her child stand and walk on his own feet. She learned physiotherapy to support her son and her persistent efforts ensured Yogesh walks again within three years.

Interestingly, Yogesh turned his attention to para sports only in 2017, after a batch mate encouraged him to take up sports by showing videos of para athletes. With his extraordinary efforts and determination, today, Yogesh has carved a niche and name for himself. He was conferred with Arjuna Award, 2021 in recognition of his outstanding achievements in Para Athletics.