Paralympics 2024 Silver Medallist and IAS Suhas Yathiraj Shares Insights on His Inspiring Journey

Suhas Yathiraj is one of India's best performers in the 2024 Paralympics. The para-shuttler earned a silver medal in badminton at the 2023 Para Games in Paris, attracting international attention. He is not only a silver medallist, but he also passed one of the country's most rigorous tests, the IAS, on his first attempt. The World Number One Para Shuttler recently disclosed many things about his journey and how he likes to deal with adverseties.

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Paralympics 2024 Silver Medallist and IAS Officer Suhas Yathiraj and Speak on His Journey

In an exclusive interview with Republic, Suhas reminisced on his life experience, emphasising key periods such as academic triumphs, work milestones, and his unexpected entrance into professional sports. Suhas underlined the erratic nature of life's path and the need to keep a good attitude while remembering his modest beginnings and development to winning medals, getting accolades, and attending international athletic events like the Tokyo and Paris Paralympics. Suhas Yathiraj said: 

“Yes. So so it's, as you described, it's journey of life. Each one of us have our own journeys. I still remember the days when we were in school. At that time, the achievement was to get the maximum marks possible. Then when I became a computer engineer, the dream was to get into the best company possible. You get good job. And then when I wanted to work for the society, writing UPSC was the option. And destiny and God were kind that I could clear UPSC and got lot of opportunities in different districts and different places to work amidst people. And then in the sporting field. Yes. The first, I entered sport, by accident. I did not really think in the initial days that I will play professionally, but then I in 2016, I played Asian Championship in Beijing, China. And then, I did not really expect anything of myself. But then I went on as an unseeded player and won the gold medal from there on the journey of winning medals in Asian Para Games, Arjuna Award, then Tokyo and Paris. I think journey of life is like that. You cannot really plan what, you will do after, say, a decade or so. I always believe in taking one thing at a time and looking at things positively very often. We can always see the glass and say it's half, empty, but it's the perspective, right? You can always, say that it's half full, and then I will have to do more. So, yes, journey of life has taken me to different places. And, hopefully, in the coming decades. Also, I will enjoy the ride”

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After losing to France's Lucas Mazur, Indian para-shuttler Suhas Yathiraj claimed the silver medal in the men's singles SL4 category final at the Paris Paralympics. Against Mazur, Yathiraj had a difficult battle that ultimately lost in consecutive games with a score of 9-21, 13-21. Suhas Yathiraj ends his campaign at the Paris 2024 Paralympics with a great performance in the last match but falls short of the sought-after gold marking his second straight Paralympic silver medal. His journey is a testament to pride and hard work, as the star athlete made the nation proud with his racquet on the world stage.