A RevSportz Exclusive
Devendra Jhajharia, one of India’s greatest athletes in Para sports who won three Olympic medals in three different editions, has thrown his hat into the ring for the President’s post in the upcoming Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) elections.
Jhajharia, a respected athlete who was also given the Khel Ratna award in 2016 after his golden effort in Rio de Janeiro, was a well-known javelin thrower in the F46 category. His efforts in promoting Para sports are well known, as a competitor and helping others. In recognition of his efforts, he also won the Padma Shri and then the Padma Bhushan award in 2022.
The new challenge will be different. “I decided to contest for the election as President of the PCI as all the state associations had reached out to me,” the modest Jhajharia told RevSportz after filing his nomination in New Delhi on Wednesday. The elections are on March 9. “It is my privilege people love me and think I am capable of leading Para sports now in a different role.
“Bhai sahib, aap logon ne media me hamesha samarthan diya hai. Aaj bhee aapka aashirwaad chahiye mujhe [You people have always supported me in the media. Today, as well, I need your blessings],” said Jhajharia.
These are troubled time for Indian Para sport, though, not in terms of performance. When the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports came down hard on the PCI this month for not holding the elections on time, in contravention of the National Sports Code, there was more drama in store. The PCI was suspended by the Sports Ministry.
The world body, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), said it still recognised the suspended PCI. It is fortunate that the PCI has been able to advance its elections, after parlays with the Sports Ministry. Otherwise, the elections were slated for the third week of March.
“I filed my nomination on Wednesday and am hopeful people will vote for me,” said Jhajharia. “There are 30 state units and each one has promised support to me. I feel honoured I can now serve the Para athletes and the cause of Para athletes in India.”
Not willing to be dragged into politics and controversies, the ace athlete felt the focus must be on the athletes and the Paralympics. “Indian sport is in good health and the athletes are working so hard,” he said. “We saw at the last Asian Games how India did so well, including a record haul from the Para athletes. I am very confident in Paris as well there will be more medals. The Paralympics in Paris will also see more medals coming in as there has been such a massive change in terms of support for us.”
For the record, India won 107 medals at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, in 2023. Then, there was a surge at the Para Asian Games as India won 111 medals in the same city. “I cannot predict medals which will come but the kind of support the India sports system gets today is massive,” said Jhajharia. “In the last 10 years, we have seen, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, how much Indian sports has grown. I have been around for well over two decades and this kind of support is so emotional for the Para athletes.”
His observations on the record haul in Hangzhou from the Para athletes is simple. “Facilities training ka itna achha mila aur khiladoyon ne mehnat kiya [They got excellent training facilities and the athletes worked hard],” he said. Currently working in the Rajasthan state forest department, Jhajharia is happy that so much support is coming from the Sports Ministry and the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
“In my view, India holding the Khelo India Games has been very beneficial,” he said. “Plus, for all of us, to have seen the first Para Khelo India last year in New Delhi is so important.”
Asked about his vision, Jhajharia said he wants to see Para sports grow further. “There are plenty of athletes wanting to deliver in national meets and the international meets,” he stressed. “I will strive for increasing the competitions for the Para athletes not only at National level and State level, I strongly feel district-level competitions for Para athletes must also increase.
“Talent kam naheen hai, unko tap karna hai [There’s no shortage of talent, we just need to tap into it].”
As of Wednesday, when nominations were filed in New Delhi, only Jhajharia had filed for President’s post. “It is a democratic election process and I have the blessings of all state units,” he said. “I promise to do my best for the sport.”
Hopefully, once the elections are over and an elected body is in place, the focus will again return to the sport. For the record, India won a whopping 19 medals in the Tokyo Paralympics three years back. Jhajharia sealed a silver in Tokyo, having won his first Olympic gold medal in Athens in 2004.
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