Mariyappan Thangavelu

           Mariyappan Thangavelu is from Periavadagampatti,Salem district,Tamilnadu,India . He was born on 28 June 1995 . Mariyappan and his brothers were raised by his single mother Saroja by carrying bricks as a labourer until becoming a vegetable seller earning 100 rupee a day. He suffered permanent disability in his right leg ,when he was run over by a drunk bus driver while walking to school. The bus crushed his leg below the knee.


           After this incident happened he didn't feel bad but he tried to overcome from it,he was totally helped by his coach Satyanarayana so Mariyappan joined national para athletics championship.


         

         Then he represented India in 2016 Summer Paralymbic Games held in Rio de Janeiro in the men's high jump.  T-42 category, winning the gold medal in the finals. He is the India's first Paralymbian gold medallist since 2004.
                                                                                                               - GOWARDHINI