Devendra Jhajharia Biography
Devendra Jhajharia is an Indian Paralympic javelin thrower who competes in F46 events, which are for athletes with upper limb deficiency, impaired muscle power or impaired range of movement. He was born on 10 June 1981 in Churu District in Rajasthan. He lost his left hand at the age of eight after touching a live electric cable while climbing a tree.
He started playing javelin throw in school and became a Para-Athletics athlete in 1997. He won his first gold medal in the F46 javelin throw at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, setting a new world record of 62.15m.
He won his second gold medal in the same event at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, bettering his own record with a world-record throw of 63.97 metres.
Devendra Jhajharia Early Life and Background
Devendra Jhajharia was born on June 10, 1981, in Churu District, Rajasthan. He belongs to a farming family and grew up in a rural area. When he was eight years old, he met with a tragic accident that changed his life forever. He was climbing a tree when he touched a live electric cable and received a high-voltage shock. He was rushed to the hospital, where the doctors had to amputate his left hand to save his life.
Despite losing his hand, Devendra did not lose his spirit. He continued to study and participate in sports activities at school. He developed an interest in javelin throw and started practicing with a hand-made wooden javelin. He was spotted by Dronacharya Awardee coach R. D. Singh while competing in a school sports day, and he was coached by Singh from then on. He also received support and encouragement from his family, friends and teachers.
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Devendra Jhajharia Career Highlights
Devendra Jhajharia made his international debut in the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, where he won a silver medal in the javelin throw event. He qualified for the 2004 Athens Paralympics and created history by winning the gold medal and setting a new world record of 62.15 meters. He became India’s second gold medalist at the Paralympics, after Murlikant Petkar who won the gold in swimming in 1972.
Devendra Jhajharia continued to excel in his sport and won many medals in various national and international competitions. He missed the 2008 and 2012 Paralympics due to the non-inclusion of his event category. He made a comeback in the 2016 Rio Paralympics and stunned the world by winning the gold medal again and breaking his own world record with a throw of 63.97 meters. He became the first Indian to win two gold medals at the Paralympics and the only Indian to win two individual gold medals at the Olympics or Paralympics.
Devendra Jhajharia added another feather to his cap by winning the silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, with a throw of 64.35 meters. He narrowly missed the gold medal by 2.5 centimeters, but still improved his previous record. He became India’s most decorated Paralympian with three medals and the only Indian to win three medals in a single event at the Paralympics.
Devendra Jhajharia Wife and Children
Devendra Jhajharia is married to Manju Jhajharia, a former nationally ranked kabaddi player. They met at a sports event and fell in love. They got married in 2004 and have two children, a daughter named Jiya and a son named Kavyan. They live in Jaipur, Rajasthan, where Devendra works as a coach at the Sports Authority of India.
Devendra Jhajharia Net Worth
Devendra Jhajharia has an estimated net worth of $500,000 as of 2024.
