Yogesh Kathuniya won a silver medal in Discus Throw F56 at Tokyo Paralympics. He bagged the silver with a throw of 44.38m. He was surpassed by Brazillian Batista dos Santos Claudiney with a throw of 45.59m.
Kathuniya comes from a humble family in Haryana. He hails from Bahadurgarh. He studied till 12th in an army school, while his higher studies were completed from Kirori Mal College in New Delhi. His family member said that there was talent in Yogesh, but they alwyays lacked monetary assistance, and this assistance was provided by Yogesh's friends.
"Firstly, let me tell you that we did not have money. Once, his friends gave him 2 lakh rupees and sent him to Germany, later on, again, they gave 1.5 lakh rupees for Yogesh's travel," a family member told ANI.
"We are feeling so good that we have no words! We are very happy right now," he continued.
This Silver Is Gold For Me: Yogesh's Mother
"This silver medal is equivalent to a gold medal for me. Today, my happiness knows no limits," says Meena Devi, Yogesh Kathuniya's mother said.
"He has been struggling a lot. He got paralysed in 2006. We took a lot of efforts for his treatment. He was on a wheel-chair for three years.
In fact, doctors from Chandigarh had told that he won't be able to walk in 2006, but I had the belief that he will walk and so he did," she continued.
Kathuniya himself got emotional on the pitch after the final of discus throw. India's medal tally is at 7 now with all the medals coming in the span of just 24 hours.