PM Modi awards Rs.4 crore to Deepa Malik
PM Modi awarded a Rs.4 crore cheque to India's first Paralympics medalist Deepa Malik in Haryana; she won a silver medal in shot-put at the Rio Paralympics. Modi handed the cheque to Malik in the presence of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Haryana Sports Minister Anil Vij. Modi also congratulated Haryana for taking forward the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' campaign.
Deepa Malik was paralyzed in 1999 from the waist down due to a spinal tumour. Wife of an Army officer and mother of 2, Deepa's spinal tumour had to be operated and she went through 31 surgeries. Deepa suffered through 183 stitches between her waist and legs before she recovered. She went through rigorous self-training after her recovery.
Besides being a commendable shot-put player, Malik has participated in other sports such as javelin throw and swimming. She has also won medals in international swimming competitions. Malik holds the Asian record in javelin throw, and has won World Championships silver medals in shot put and discus in 2011. She is also a motivational speaker who inspires people to rise above their disabilities.
The oldest woman to receive the Arjuna award in 2012, Malik has achieved many other feats. She holds the "longest ever recorded Pan India drive by a paraplegic woman" for the Limca Book of World Records. She even drove at an altitude of 18,000ft for 1700 km Raid De Himalaya drive. Deepa Malik was the first person ever to get a license for invalid (modified) rally vehicle .
Deepa Malik from India became the first-ever woman from the country to win a medal at the Paralympics by bagging a silver in the shot-put F-53 event. Fatema Nedham (Bahrain) won the gold medal with a best throw of 4.76m, while Dimitra Korokida (Greece) seized the bronze medal with a throw of 4.28m. Deepa clinched silver with a throw of 4.61m.
With Deepa Malik's medal, India's medal tally reached 3. Mariyappan Thangavelu and Varun Singh Bhati had won gold and bronze respectively in men's high jump.
