Mariyappan Thangavelu’s name entered the record books at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, where he claimed gold in the men’s high jump T42 event with a clearance of 1.89m — India’s first Paralympic gold medal since 2004. His compatriot Varun Singh Bhati took bronze in that same final, making it a notable podium showing for Indian para-athletics that year.
Five years later, at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Thangavelu returned to the high jump T42/T63 competition as the reigning Rio champion and secured the silver medal with a clearance of 1.86m. The result extended his Paralympic medal record across two consecutive Games.
Born on 28 June 1995 in Periavadagampatti, in Tamil Nadu’s Salem district, Thangavelu’s journey from his hometown to two Paralympic podiums has been documented by outlets including the IPC and Olympics.com. His story has also drawn wider attention beyond the field of competition, with a biopic titled ‘Mariyappan,’ directed by Aishwaryaa Dhanush, reported to be in production based on his life.
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