Devendra Jhajharia, the first para-athlete from the country to receive the Padma Bhushan award, will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Churu. On Saturday (2nd March), the BJP declared his name in the list of 195 candidates’ list released for the upcoming elections. Jhajharia, who won three Paralympic medals, including two golds, lost part of his left hand after he came in contact with an electric wire while climbing a tree at the age of eight. He is the only Indian in history to win two gold medals at the Olympics or Paralympics.
Devendra Jhajharia is BJP candidate for the Churu Lok Sabha seat in Rajasthan. 42-year-old Jhajharia is a well-known name in the sports world. Jhajharia was born in Churu and will now make his political debut from the place known as the gateway to the Thar Desert. Devendra Jhajharia is also the first para-athlete in the country to receive the Padma Bhushan award.
Jhajharia has won medals for the country in three Olympics. Due to his brilliant performances, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan. Jhajharia is the first player from Rajasthan who has been given this award. He won a silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympics last year. Earlier, Devendra won gold medals for the country in the Athens 2004 and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
In a media interaction after getting the Lok Sabha ticket, Devendra Jhajharia said, “All I have to say is that I could have never imagined this. Today this historic decision has been taken – Devendra Jhajharia gets a Lok Sabha ticket. This is a very happy moment for me.”
#WATCH जयपुर: पैरालंपिक खिलाड़ी और चूरू से भाजपा उम्मीदवार देवेंद्र झाझरिया ने कहा, "… ये मेरे लिए बड़ी खुशी का पल है… देश के 5 से 7 करोड़ दिव्यांग लोगों में खुशी है कि आज भाजपा ने एक दिव्यांग व्यक्ति को टिकट दिया है… " pic.twitter.com/i0y0TihWOH
— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) March 2, 2024
He added, “I have been playing the sport for so long. But, I have noticed one thing, the work done by the Modi government speaks for itself. I am a sportsman and I have seen it in our field. There are so many good schemes for sports and we are advancing in sports today. Our vision is very clear, we will make India a developed country by 2047. There are almost five to seven crore Divyang people in our country. They will be very happy today to know that the Bharatiya Janata Party has given a ticket to a Divyang person. Youths and sportspersons in the country are feeling this excitement. And most importantly, this is a ticket given to the son of a farmer. I just received a call from my mother. She said that she knew it a while ago when she was returning home from the farm.”
Devendra Jhajharia posted on his X handle, “I have been made a candidate from Churu Lok Sabha seat by the top leadership of Bharatiya Janata Party for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 under the leadership of Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, which is an unforgettable moment for me. After a long innings of sports life, I will always be indebted to you for the way the Honourable Prime Minister has trusted a person like me from an ordinary farmer family and given me a ticket. Honourable Prime Minister, I will work with hard work and dedication taking the people of the parliamentary constituency along with me to implement BJP’s slogan of ‘Ab Ki Bar 400 paar’. Once again I express my gratitude to the top leadership of Bharatiya Janata Party.”
माननीय प्रधानमन्त्री श्री नरेन्द्र मोदी के नेतृत्व में लोकसभा चुनाव 2024 के लिए भारतीय जनता पार्टी के शीर्ष नेतृत्व द्वारा मुझे चूरू लोकसभा सीट से प्रत्याशी बनाया गया है, जो मेरे लिए अविस्मरणीय पल है। खेल जीवन की लम्बी पारी के बाद आज जिस प्रकार से माननीय प्रधानमंत्री जी द्वारा…
— Devendra Jhajharia (@DevJhajharia) March 2, 2024
Jhajharia was born on 10th June 1981 to an ordinary farming couple Ram Singh and Jivani Devi of Sadulpur in Churu. He never let the disadvantaged surroundings and adverse circumstances become obstacles in his path. Devendra Jhajharia started practising the sport of Javelin throw in the village by making a wooden spear.
In 1995, he commenced his javelin-throwing journey during a school competition. His prowess in both javelin throw and shot put earned him medals at the National Games in Bangalore while still in college. From there, his life’s trajectory was set, and he never faltered. Despite facing stiff competition in the general category, Devendra Jhajharia clinched the gold medal in the javelin throw at the national level in 1999, marking a significant milestone in his career. This marked the beginning of a string of accomplishments for Devendra Jhajharia.
Jhajharia secured the gold medal at the 2002 Busan Asiad. His prowess was further showcased at the 2003 British Open Games, where he clinched gold in Javelin Throw, Shot Put, and Triple Jump. A monumental achievement in Indian sports history came when Devendra Jhajharia triumphed in the javelin throw event at the 2004 Athens Para Olympics.
During these competitions, Jhajharia shattered his world record with a throw of 63.97 meters in Rio Paralympics 2016, surpassing his previous mark of 62.15 meters that he set in Athens. He continued his winning streak by claiming gold at the Malaysia Para Asian Games in 2006, followed by another triumph at the Para World Games in Taiwan in 2007. In 2013, he added to his illustrious career by clinching gold at the Athletics Championship held in Lyon, France.
The childhood tragedy that led to the amputation of his left hand was one of the many obstacles that Jhajharia struggled to climb the ladder of success. His tireless efforts earned him several medals at the Paralympics. The last medal was a silver medal at the 2021 Tokyo Games. He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2004 and the Khel Ratna in 2017. Meanwhile, he was awarded the Padma Shri in 2012. Jhajharia received the Padma Bhushan, the country’s third-highest civilian honour, in 2022.
Upon learning that his father was battling cancer, Jhajharia contemplated bidding farewell to his athletic career. However, his father, Ram Singh, encouraged him to persevere in the sporting field. Honouring his father’s wishes, Jhajharia recommitted himself to his training. Despite being unable to be by his father’s side in his final moments, Jhajharia channeled his emotions into his performance, visibly moved after securing medals at national-level competitions in 2020 and 2021, in fond memory of his father.
ये मेडल में मेरे स्वर्गवासी पिताजी को समर्पित करना चाहुंगा🙏💐 pic.twitter.com/VEDRJXFyDr
— Devendra Jhajharia (@DevJhajharia) August 30, 2021
Despite initially contemplating retirement from the Paralympics, Jhajharia remained dedicated to the sport even after his category was excluded. The F46 javelin throw was notably absent from the 2008 and 2012 Paralympics, a category tailored for athletes with impaired arm or weakened arm muscles. Encouraged by his wife, Manju, a national-level kabaddi player, Jhajharia found renewed motivation to persist in his athletic pursuits. Subsequently, coach Ripu Daman Singh played a pivotal role in honing and enhancing his skills, offering invaluable support along the way.
Devendra Jhajharia on Wednesday (28th February) filed his nomination papers for the post of President of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) for the March 9 elections. Apart from him, no one has applied for this post. In such a situation, Jhajharia is certain to be elected unopposed. Currently, Deepa Malik is its chairman.
Today, I submitted my nomination from Rajasthan State for the esteemed position of President at the Paralympic Committee of India. I presented my candidacy at the PCI Election Returning Officer's chamber at JLN Stadium, Lodhi Road, New Delhi. @PMOIndia @narendramodi… pic.twitter.com/fMVT2csXcI
— Devendra Jhajharia (@DevJhajharia) February 28, 2024
Jhajharia’s journey so far has been very interesting and profoundly moving. He is celebrated for his unwavering determination. Regarded as an inspirational figure, he seeks to embark on a new journey by venturing into the realm of politics, aiming to pursue yet another significant goal.
