Who is Deepthi Jeevanji? Indian para-athlete wins 400m T20 gold with Games record

NEW DELHI: Deepthi Jeevanji continued her impressive run in para athletics by winning gold in the women's 400m T20 event at the Asian Para Games on Tuesday. The Indian clocked a Games record time of 56.36 seconds to defend her title.The 23-year-old from Telangana finished ahead of Japan's Niina Kanno, who won silver in 58.92 seconds. Kanno's compatriot Akane Kato took bronze with a time of 1:00.26.Deepthi, who also holds the Asian record, has established herself as one of India's leading para-athletes with her performances at major international events.Who is Deepthi Jeevanji?Deepthi hails from a remote village in Warangal, Telangana. Her parents are small farmers who have also worked as labourers in their village. Her talent for running was spotted when she was young. According to her athlete profile, Sports Authority of India coach N Ramesh first noticed her during a state-level athletics meet when she was 15. He recognised her potential and began training her.Deepthi later received support from badminton great Pullela Gopichand. At his suggestion, she underwent testing for intellectual disability in Hyderabad.Her journey in para athletics began to gain attention after she competed at the Asian Youth Championships in Hong Kong in 2019, where she won bronze.From a village in Telangana to the international stageDeepthi continued to improve through competitions organised by the Athletics Federation of India between 2019 and 2022. She also won gold medals in the 100m and 200m events at the Khelo India Youth Games in Guwahati in 2020.Her breakthrough at the senior international level came at the Asian Para Games in 2023, where she won gold and set Games and Asian records in the women's 400m T20 event.She went on to win gold at the 2024 Para Athletics World Championships, setting a world record of 55.07 seconds. She also won a bronze medal in the same event at the Paris Paralympics in 2024.Deepthi added another achievement to her career by winning silver at the 2025 World Championships. She has also won gold at the Indian Open in 2025 and 2026.What is the T20 category?T20 is a classification for athletes with intellectual impairments. Athletes in this category may face challenges with processing information, concentration and following race plans or tactical strategies.The role of her parents in her journeyDeepthi's success has come with strong support from her parents. She has spoken about how they stood by her ambitions even when people in their village taunted them for supporting her sporting dreams.Their support, along with years of training and hard work, has helped Deepthi rise from a village in Telangana to the top level of international para athletics.Her latest gold at the Asian Para Games, achieved in a Games record time of 56.36 seconds, is another milestone in her remarkable journey.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.