Deepa Malik

Deepa Malik (born 30 September 1970) is an Indian athlete. She started her career at the age of 30. She is the first Indian woman to win a medal in Paralympic Games and won a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in shot put.^[3] She also won gold in the F-53/54 Javelin event at the para athletic Grand Prix held in Dubai in 2018. She is currently the world number one in the F-53 category. She has won accolades for her participation in various adventure sports. She is associated with Himalayan Motorsports Association (H.M.A.) and Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (F.M.S.C.I.). She has undertaken an 8-day, 1,700-km drive in sub-zero temperatures which included a climb to 18,000 feet (5,500 m). It was – Raid De Himalaya. This journey covers many difficult paths including remote Himalayas, Leh, Shimla and Jammu.^[4][5]

Deepa Malik

Malik in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Deepa Malik
Born	(1970-09-30) 30 September 1970 (age 52) Bhainswal, Haryana, India^[1]
Sport
Country	India
Event(s)	Shot Put, Javelin Throw, Discus Throw, Swimming & Motorcycling
Achievements and titles
Paralympic finals	2016 Rio de Janeiro
Medal record Representing  India Women's athletics Paralympic Games 2016 Rio de Janeiro Shot put – F53 IPC World Championships 2011 Christchurch Shot put – F52-53 Asian Para Games 2010 Guangzhou Javelin Throw – F33-34-52-53 2014 Incheon Javelin Throw – F53-54 2018 Jakarta Discus Throw – F51-52-53 2018 Jakarta Javelin Throw – F53-54

She is a member of the working group in the formulation 12th five-year plan (2012–2017) on sports and physical education as nominated by the Planning Commission HRD Division on behalf of the Sports Ministry. She is also the 'Clean India' brand ambassador for NMDC and expert consultant for Disability Inclusive Accessible Infrastructure for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs 'Smart Cities' project. In 2020, she was elected as President of the Paralympic Committee of India.^[6]

Achievements

Deepa Malik is the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympics. She won the silver medal in the shot put in 2016 Paralympic Games. She was previously honored with the Arjuna award in 2012, at the age of 42 years.^[7] She has also been conferred the prestigious Padma Shri award in 2017. She created a New Asian Record in Asian Para Games 2018 and is the only Indian woman to win medals in 3 consecutive Asian Para Games (2010, 2014, 2018).^[8] She has won 58 national and 23 international medals across all disciplines to date.

International participation and medals

• Asian Para Games 2018, Jakarta 2018 | 2 Bronze Medals(3rd Position) - 1 Bronze F53/F54 Category (Javelin Throw), 1 Bronze F51/52/53 Category (Discus Throw)
• Paralympic Games 2016, Rio 2016 | Silver Medal (2nd Position) - First Ever Indian Woman to win a Paralympic Medal (shot put)
• IPC Athletics World Championship, Doha, Qatar 2015 | Diploma (5th Position) – (shot put)
• IPC Oceania Asian Championship, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 2016 | 1 Gold (javelin), 1 Silver (shot put)
• Won Incheon Asian Para Games 2014 – Silver medal in women's 53–54 Javelin with a new Asian Record and has now qualified to be at IPC World Athletics Championship Doha 2015 to be held in Oct 2015
• IPC 2nd China Open Athletics Championship Beijing 10–17 April 2014– Shotput F53-55 Gold
• German open athletics championship Berlin 2013 – IPC Qualification event – Only women from India to earn qualification for IPC world athletics championship Lyon 2013
• IPC World Athletics Championship, Lyon 2013 – Diploma Position
• First Malaysian Open Athletics Championship April 2012 – Two Gold Medals – (Javelin and discus) – New Official Asian Record In Javelin F-53 Women – Felicitated by Milkha Singh Ji and P.T.Usha Ji.
• IWAS World Games Sharjah Dec-2011- Two Bronze Medals – Two New Asian Records
• IPC World Athletics Championship Christchurch Jan 2011 – Silver Medal
• IPC World Athletics Championship New Zealand 2011 – Only women para-athlete to qualify for the same *Commonwealth Games 2010 – Diploma Position – Shot Put
• Para-Asian Games China Dec 2010 – Bronze Medal – First Ever Medal Won By A Woman Athlete at Asian Games
• CP Sports Nottingham England Sep 2010 – Three Gold Medals – Shot-put, Discus, Javelin
• IWAS World Games, India 2009– shot put- Bronze Medal
• World Open Swimming Championship- Berlin 2008 – 10th Position S-5 Swimming Backstroke
• IWAS World Games Taiwan- 2007 – Diploma Position – Javelin F53 Women
• FESPIC Games Kuala Lumpur 2006 – 2ND Position S-5 Swimming Backstroke
• Qualified B Level – Javelin Throw F-53 For Beijing Olympics 2008 – Felicitated By Mr. Kapil Dev
• National and State level medals: 51 Gold, 5 Silver, 2 Bronze
• International medals- 23^[9]

Motor sports

Deepa Malik was the first person ever to receive a license for an invalid (modified) rally vehicle,^[10][11] a case she consistently pursued for 19 months in Maharashtra. She is also the first physically challenged individual in the country to receive an official rally license from the Federation Motor Sports Club of India (FMSCI) and become a navigator and driver in the toughest car rallies of the country- Raid-de-HIMALAYA 2009 and Desert Storm 2010.

Malik participated in the grid and national anthem ceremony at the start of the 2013 Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit.^[12]

Her aim of joining motorsports is to spread awareness towards the fact that physically challenged individuals can obtain an official license and attain independence and self-reliance through driving. Deepa Malik has undertaken numerous rallies to promote this cause.^{[citation needed]}

Early life

Malik was diagnosed with a spinal tumor in 1999, and after three surgeries was left paralysed below the waist. She opened a restaurant, became a swimmer and a biker, and swam across the River Yamuna.^[13]

"I had fallen in love with Bikram because he was a biker," Bikram was a young major in the Army with a fondness for bikes, soon they got married as Deepa's father was in Army at that time.^[14]

Awards and recognition

National awards

 

The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presenting the Padma Shri Award to Ms. Deepa Malik, at a Civil Investiture Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on March 30, 2017

• President Role Model Award (2014)
• Arjuna Award (2012)
• Maharashtra Chhatrapati Award (sports) (2009–10)
• Haryana Karambhoomi Award (2008)
• Swawlamban Puruskar Maharashtra (2006)
• Padma Shri Award (2017)^[15]
• First Ladies Award - Ministry of Women & Child Development.
• Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (2019)^[16][17]

Other awards

• WCRC Leaders Asia Excellence Award 2014
• Limca people of the year award 2014
• iCONGO Karamveer Puruskar 2014
• Amazing Indian Awards Times Now-2013
• Cavinkare National Ability Mastery Award −2013
• Karamaveer Chakra award 2013
• Nominee for L'Oreal Femina Awards 2013 in “Women We Love Category”
• Batra Positive Health Hero Award 2012
• AWWA Excellence Award For Sports 2012
• Media Peace & Excellence Award For Sports 2012
• Maharana Mewar Arawali Sports Award 2012
• Misaal-e-Himmat Award (2012)
• International Women's day appreciation Award 2011 – Cancer Patient Aid Association New Delhi.
• Shree Shakti Puruskar CARE- 2011
• District Sports Award Ahmednagar-2010
• Rashtra Gaurav Puraskar 2009
• Naari Gaurav Puraskar 2009
• Guru Gobind Shaurya Puraskar 2009
• Rotary Women Of The Year Award 2007

For the silver medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

• ₹4 crore (US$500,000) from the Government of Haryana^[18]
• ₹50 lakh (US$63,000) from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports^[19]

Records and rankings

• Holds An Official IPC Asian Record In Javelin F-53 Category – Felicitated by Milkha Singh and P.T.Usha.
• Holds All Three National Records In Throws {Discus, Javelin, Shot-put} In F-53 Category
• Holds All Three National Records In S-1 Swimming Category {Back Stroke, Breast Stroke, Free Style }
• World Ranking 2010–12 – 2nd Shot-put, 3rd -Discus, 3rd Javelin
• Asian Ranking 2010–12 – 1st In All Three Throws

LIMCA World Records

• Longest Pan-India drive done by a paraplegic women. Chennai-Delhi 3278 km – 2013^[20]
• Driving Across Nine High Altitude Passes in Nine Days on Leh-Ladakh Highest Motorable Roads. (First Woman in the world in her disability to attempt a journey like this – 2011)
• Riding Special Bike −2009
• Swimming in River Yamuna Against The Current For 1 km. Allahabad-2008

Public appearances

• 11 October 2019, On the occasion of International Day of the Girl Child, Deepa appeared on the popular Indian TV game show Kaun Banega Crorepati.^[21]

Political career

Deepa Malik joined the BJP in shortly before the 2019 general election.^[22]

See also

• Athletics at the 2010 Commonwealth Games – Women's shot put (F32–34/52/53)
• 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships – Women's discus throw
• Athletics at the 2010 Asian Para Games
• 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships – Women's javelin throw
• 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships – Women's shot put

References

1. "Rio Paralympics: Meet Deepa Malik, athlete extraordinaire". The Times of India. TNN. 5 September 2016. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
2. Mathur, Abhimanyu (12 October 2018). "Deepa Malik on bronze win at Asian Para Games: This medal is precious". Times of India. TNN. Archived from the original on 26 March 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
3. "Paralympics 2016 | Deepa Malik wins silver medal in shot put". 12 September 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
4. "Deepa Malik [Biography] Swimmer,Biker of the world". MATPAL DEV. matpal.com. 8 April 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
5. "Deepa Malik's inspiring drive finally concludes in Delhi". CarDekho Team. Jaipur: business-standard.com. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
6. "Deepa Malik elected Paralympic Committee of India president". The Indian Express. 1 February 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
7. "NYOOOZ - Simply News Local News, India News, City News, Politics". NYOOOZ.
8. "Deepa Malik becomes first female para-athlete to win Khel Ratna". The Times of India. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
9. "DEEPA MALIK - International Para Athlete | Padma Shri | Arjuna Awardee | Motivational Speaker | First woman of India to win a medal at Paralympics Silver F53 Shot Put". www.deepamalik.com.
10. Mathew, Godwin (14 August 2021). "All you need to know about Deepa Malik - the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympics". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
11. "Deepa Malik Birthday Special: Inspiring story of India's first Paralympic Games medallist". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
12. Bodapati, David (29 October 2021). "Women In Motorsports India inducts Deepa Malik". INDIAinF1.com. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
13. Mehta, Boria Majumdar & Nalin (23 January 2020). "The extraordinary story of paralympian Deepa Malik, who won medals for India from her wheelchair". Scroll.in. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
14. Boria Majumdar; Nalin Mehta (23 January 2020). "The extraordinary story of paralympian Deepa Malik, who won medals for India from her wheelchair". Scroll In. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
15. Boria Majumdar, Nalin Mehta (January 2020). "Padma Awards 2017 announced". pib.gov.in.
16. "Khel Ratna for Deepa Malik and Bajrang Punia, Arjuna for Ravindra Jadeja - Times of India". The Times of India.
17. Dasgupta, Akaash (19 September 2019). "Deepa Malik: My father told me 'you are cursing the dark Deepa, become the lamp': Khel Ratna awardee Deepa Malik". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
18. "Deepa Malik becomes first Indian woman to win medal at Paralympics, bags silver in shotput". The Indian Express. 12 September 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
19. "Rio Paralympic medallists to be given cash awards". Business Standard. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
20. "Awards". www.sathyabama.ac.in.
21. "Amjad Ali Khan, Para-athletes Deepa Malik, Manasi Joshi Celebrate Amitabh Bachchan's Birthday on KBC Sets". News18. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
22. "Deepa Malik, first Indian woman athlete to win Paralympics medal, joins BJP". The Financial Express. 25 March 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.

External links

• Official website  
• by Snigdha Hasan