Suhas Yathiraj: The IAS officer with back-to-back Paralympic silver medals

Suhas Yathiraj found himself in an all-too familiar position in the final of the badminton men’s singles SL4 category in the Paris Paralympics on Monday. Not only did he reach the Paralympic final for a second successive time, he was up against the same opponent — France’s Lucas Mazur.

The similarities did not end there, however, as Mazur would end up defeating Yathiraj in a Paralympic final for the second time in three years, pulling off a comfortable victory in straight games (21-9, 21-13).

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As if that wasn’t enough, Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan won bronze in Paris just as he did in Tokyo, though it came at the cost of a medal on Paralympic debut for Sukant Kadam, whom Yathiraj had defeated in an all-Indian semi-final on Sunday.

Yathiraj’s medal would be the second silver for the Indian badminton contingent at the Paris Paralympics, with Thulasimathi Murugesan (women’s singles SU5) having also lost her gold medal match earlier in the day.

India would end the day with five medals in badminton, their biggest haul in the sport at the Paralympics till date, with Nitesh Kumar (men’s singles SL3) winning gold and Manisha Ramadass (women’s singles SU5) and Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan (women’s singles SH6) winning bronze.

Who is Suhas Yathiraj?

Yathiraj is among the more well-known Paralympians in Indian, given he’s a rare breed who happens to be a successful para athlete and also a top bureaucrat.

The 41-year-old, after all, is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the 2007 batch of the Uttar Pradesh cadre who has served as the District Magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar as well as Prayagraj districts in the state.

Born on 2 July, 1983 in Hassan, Karnataka, Yathiraj was dealt a blow early in his life as he had a congenital deformity in his left ankle since birth that significantly affected his mobility. Suhas, however, displayed remarkable determination and resilience to overcome the challenges posed by the deformity.

He has done it again!!!Congratulations to IAS Officer @suhas_ly for winning Silver in Para-Badminton Men’s Singles SL4 at @paris2024!🥈🇮🇳

The Nation Salutes You!🌟#Cheer4Bharat@paralympics @Paris2024#SuhasYathiraj #Paris2024 #Paralympics #MachaDhoom pic.twitter.com/N9yNtuz3Fd

— Deepa Malik PLY (@DeepaAthlete) September 2, 2024

Yathiraj’s early education took place at Dudda, near Hassan district. He attended DVS Independent College in Shivamogga, Karnataka, for the majority of his secondary schooling. Excelling academically, Suhas earned a degree in Computer Engineering from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Surathkal. His academic success was complemented by his selection into the IAS.

Suhas’s journey in para badminton began later in life compared to many athletes. Despite this late start, his rise in the sport has been meteoric. Dominating the national scene, Suhas has secured numerous national titles, establishing himself as one of India’s top para badminton players.

Balancing his professional career with his passion for badminton, Suhas has served as an IAS officer with notable dedication. Suhas’s ascent in para badminton is marked by perseverance and intense training. He is the only Indian IAS officer to have received both an Arjuna Award and a Paralympic medal. He continued his success by topping the podium at the Asian Para Games 2022 in Hangzhou.

What are Suhas Yathiraj’s achievements?

— Paralympics Games (2020) - Silver Medal in MS

— Asian Para Games (2022) - Gold Medal in MS

— Asian Para Games (2018) – Bronze Medal in MS

— Asian Para Badminton Championships (2016) – Gold Medal in MS

— World Championship (2024)- Gold Medal in MS

Government support

— 10 Foreign Exposures in Thailand, UAE, Scotland, England, Bahrain, Brazil, Spain, Japan, China

— Training camp at Dr. Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University, Lucknow for 50 days

— Financial Assistance for Training & Competition

— Financial Assistance towards procurement of badminton equipment

— Out of Pocket Allowance under TOPS