 Deepa Malik-the first Indian woman to win a medal in Paralympic GamesDeepa Malik (born 30 September 1970) is an Indian athlete. She is the first Indian woman to win a medal in Paralympic Games and won a Silver medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in the shot put.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, 1700-km drive in sub-zero temperatures which included a climb to 18000 feet. It was – Raid De Himalaya. This journey covers many difficult paths including remote Himalayas, Leh, Shimla and Jammu.Malik is the wife of a veteran cavalier Colonel Bikram Singh and daughter of a veteran Infantry Colonel BK Nagpal. She is the mother of two adult daughters- Devika and Ambika. She is currently being supported by the GoSports Foundation through the their Para Champions Programme. 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. Deepa Malik was the first person ever to receive a license for invalid (modified) rally vehicle, 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. She had the honour of being the part of the grid and national anthem ceremony at the flag-off of Formula-1 race at Buddh international circuit, 2013. Her aim of joining motor sports 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. International participation & medals won IPC Athletics World Championship, Doha 2015 | Diploma (5th Position) – (Shotput) IPC Oceania Asian Championship, Dubai March 2016 | 1 Gold (Jav), 1 Silver (Shotput) 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– Shot put 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 & 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, Discuss, Javelin IWAS World Games, India 2009– SHOTPUT- 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 : 47 Gold, 5 Silver, 2 Bronze International medals- 13 Not just the awards mentions above, Deepa has also been felicitated with President Role Model Award (2014), Arjuna Award (2012), Maharashtra Chhatrapati Award (sports) (2009–10), Haryana Karambhoomi Award (2008), Swawlamban Puruskar Maharashtra (2006) and many more. For the silver medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics, she has been awarded ₹4 crore (US$590,000) from the Government of Haryana ₹50 lakh (US$74,000) from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. In the LIMCA World Records she holds the following name Longest Pan-India drive done by a paraplegic women. Chennai-Delhi 3278 km – 2013, 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 Article & Image Courtesy: Wikipedia |