Devendra Jhajharia says Khel Ratna honour will inspire other para-athletes to aim big

Thane: The first paralympian to be recommended for India’s top sporting honour – Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna – Devendra Jhajharia said this would surely inspire other para-athletes to dream big. [caption id=“attachment_2993266” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Devendra Jhajharia. AFP[/caption] “I am really delighted to be recommended for this award and I am hopeful that the other athletes would take inspiration from this and perform their best and aim for big,” Jhajaria said on Saturday. He was speaking to reporters ahead of the ‘Kranti Daud’, organised by NGO Aapan Sare. Jhajharia thanked his mother who helped him at every juncture, including encouraging him to take up sports despite meeting with a mishap when he was just eight years old. “The country aimed for gold in Olympics and I am privileged and lucky to get two gold in the events,” the para-athlete from Rajasthan said. Jhajaria said that the Maharashtra government should upgrade the facilities for all the paralympians. “They can provide better facilities for the sportsmen. Compared to other countries the facilities in India were not up to the mark,” he rued. Jhajharia opined that youths at the school and college level should be educated on the ill effects of doping. He added that he should have got this award 12 years ago when he created the first record. President of the NGO, Balkrishna Purnekar said around 12,000 students are likely to participate in the events in eight groups and the total prize money is Rs 2.50 lakh.