Deepa Malik Explained

Deepa Malik
Fullname:	Deepa Malik
Birth Date:	1970 9, df=yes
Birth Place:	Bhainswal, Haryana, India^[1]
Residence:	Gurgaon^[2]
Country:	India
Event:	Shot Put, Javelin Throw, Discus Throw, Swimming & Motorcycling
Paralympics:	2016 Rio de Janeiro
Political Party:	BJP(Bharatiya Janata party)

Deepa Malik (born 30 September 1970) is an Indian athlete. She started her career at the age of 30. She is the first Indian woman to win a medal in Paralympic Games and won a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in shot put.^[3] She also won gold in the F-53/54 Javelin event at the para athletic Grand Prix held in Dubai in 2018. She is currently the world number one in the F-53 category.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, 1,700-km drive in sub-zero temperatures which included a climb to . It was – Raid De Himalaya. This journey covers many difficult paths including remote Himalayas, Leh, Shimla and Jammu.^{[4] [5]}

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. She is also the 'Clean India' brand ambassador for NMDC and expert consultant for Disability Inclusive Accessible Infrastructure for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs 'Smart Cities' project. In 2020, she was elected as President of the Paralympic Committee of India.^[6]

Early life

Malik was born to Veena Nagpal and Bal Krishan Nagpal in 1970.^[7] Her father was in the Indian Army. Her brother, Vikram Nagpal, is a brigadier in the Indian Army. Her elder daughter Devika is studying sports psychology. At age 5, she was diagnosed with a spinal tumor for which she underwent three years of treatment. The treatment was successful but Malik required aggressive physiotherapy to recover.

In 1999 at age 29, Malik was again diagnosed with spinal tumor. She underwent three surgeries to successfully remove the tumor, but the surgeries left her paralyzed from the waist down. Afterwards, she again underwent physiotherapy for six years. ^[8] After recovering, Malik began to develop an interest in sports. She became a swimmer and a biker, and soon afterwards swam across the River Yamuna.^[9]

Achievements

Deepa Malik is the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympics. She won the silver medal in the shot put in 2016 Paralympic Games. She was previously honored with the Arjuna award in 2012, at the age of 42 years.^[10] She has also been conferred the prestigious Padma Shri award in 2017. She created a New Asian Record in Asian Para Games 2018 and is the only Indian woman to win medals in 3 consecutive Asian Para Games (2010, 2014, 2018).^[11] She has won 58 national and 23 international medals across all disciplines to date. She was the first woman to win medal in the Paralympics

International participation and medals

• Asian Para Games 2018, Jakarta 2018 | 2 Bronze Medals(3rd Position) - 1 Bronze F53/F54 Category (Javelin Throw), 1 Bronze F51/52/53 Category (Discus Throw)
• Paralympic Games 2016, Rio 2016 | Silver Medal (2nd Position) - First Ever Indian Woman to win a Paralympic Medal (shot put)
• IPC Athletics World Championship, Doha, Qatar 2015 | Diploma (5th Position) – (shot put)
• IPC Oceania Asian Championship, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 2016 | 1 Gold (javelin), 1 Silver (shot put)
• 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– Shotput 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 and 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, Discus, Javelin
• IWAS World Games, India 2009– shot put- 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 Kapil Dev

Motor sports

Deepa Malik was one of the first persons to receive a license for an invalid (modified) rally vehicle,^{[12] [13]} 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 of 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.

Malik participated in the grid and national anthem ceremony at the start of the 2013 Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit.^[14]

Her aim of joining motorsports 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.

Personal life

Malik is married to Bikram Singh Malik, who proposed to her with a bike rather than a ring. They bonded over a mutual love of sports. "I had fallen in love with Bikram because he was a biker," said Malik of their relationship. Singh Malik is a former colonel in the Indian Army. Together, they have two daughters. ^[15]

Aside from her sports career, Malik has pursued other interests as well. In 2003 while her husband was away on tour, she opened a restaurant in Ahmednagar where she employed underprivileged youths and took care that they return to their education. The restaurant continued operations until its closure in 2010. ^[16]

Awards and recognition

National awards

• President Role Model Award (2014)
• Arjuna Award (2012)
• Maharashtra Chhatrapati Award (sports) (2009–10)
• Haryana Karambhoomi Award (2008)
• Swawlamban Puruskar Maharashtra (2006)
• Padma Shri Award (2017)^[17]
• First Ladies Award - Ministry of Women & Child Development.
• Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (2019)^{[18] [19]}

Other awards

• WCRC Leaders Asia Excellence Award 2014
• Limca people of the year award 2014
• 2014
• Amazing Indian Awards Times Now-2013
• Cavinkare National Ability Mastery Award −2013
• Karamaveer Chakra award 2013
• Nominee for L'Oreal Femina Awards 2013 in “Women We Love Category”
• Batra Positive Health Hero Award 2012
• AWWA Excellence Award For Sports 2012
• Media Peace & Excellence Award For Sports 2012
• Maharana Mewar Arawali Sports Award 2012
• Misaal-e-Himmat Award (2012)
• International Women's day appreciation Award 2011 – Cancer Patient Aid Association New Delhi.
• Shree Shakti Puruskar CARE- 2011
• District Sports Award Ahmednagar-2010
• Rashtra Gaurav Puraskar 2009
• Naari Gaurav Puraskar 2009
• Guru Gobind Shaurya Puraskar 2009
• Rotary Women Of The Year Award 2007

For the silver medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

• from the Government of Haryana^[20]
• from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports^[21]

Records and rankings

• Holds An Official IPC Asian Record In Javelin F-53 Category – Felicitated by Milkha Singh and P.T.Usha.
• Holds All Three National Records In Throws In F-53 Category
• Holds All Three National Records In S-1 Swimming Category
• World Ranking 2010–12 – 2nd Shot-put, 3rd -Discus, 3rd Javelin
• Asian Ranking 2010–12 – 1st In All Three Throws

LIMCA World Records

• Longest Pan-India drive done by a paraplegic women. Chennai-Delhi 3278 km – 2013^[22]
• 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

Public appearances

• 11 October 2019, On the occasion of International Day of the Girl Child, Deepa appeared on the popular Indian TV game show Kaun Banega Crorepati.^[23]

Political career

Deepa Malik joined the BJP shortly before the 2019 general election.^[24]

See also

• Athletics at the 2010 Commonwealth Games – Women's shot put (F32–34/52/53)
• 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships – Women's discus throw
• Athletics at the 2010 Asian Para Games
• 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships – Women's javelin throw
• 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships – Women's shot put

External links

• • How Deepa Malik Got Her Wheels Back by Snigdha Hasan

Notes and References

1. News: Rio Paralympics: Meet Deepa Malik, athlete extraordinaire . 31 August 2017 . . TNN . 5 September 2016 . https://archive.today/20170831184919/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/others/Rio-Paralympics-Meet-Deepa-Malik-athlete-extraordinaire/articleshow/54013329.cms . 31 August 2017 . live . dmy-all .
2. News: Mathur . Abhimanyu . Deepa Malik on bronze win at Asian Para Games: This medal is precious . 26 March 2019 . Times of India . TNN . 12 October 2018 . https://archive.today/20190326225946/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/deepa-malik-on-bronze-win-at-asian-para-games-this-medal-is-precious/articleshow/66166443.cms . 26 March 2019 . live . dmy-all .
3. Web site: Paralympics 2016 Deepa Malik wins silver medal in shot put. 2016-09-12. 2016-09-14.
4. Web site: Deepa Malik [Biography] Swimmer,Biker of the world]. MATPAL DEV. 8 April 2012. matpal.com. 14 July 2014. 14 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714200555/http://www.matpal.com/2012/04/deepa-malik-biography-swimmerbiker-of.html. dead.
5. News: Deepa Malik's inspiring drive finally concludes in Delhi. CarDekho Team. business-standard.com. Jaipur. 30 September 2013. 14 July 2014.
6. Web site: 2020-02-01. Deepa Malik elected Paralympic Committee of India president. 2021-03-22. The Indian Express. en.
7. Web site: 2016-09-18 . Gurgaon’s daughter Deepa Malik gets rousing welcome . 2024-01-18 . Hindustan Times . en.
8. Web site: Deepa Malik elected Paralympic Committee of India president. 2024-01-18. Ability Magazine. en.
9. News: 2016-09-05 . Rio Paralympics: Meet Deepa Malik, athlete extraordinaire . 2024-01-18 . The Times of India . 0971-8257.
10. Web site: NYOOOZ - Simply News Local News, India News, City News, Politics. NYOOOZ.
11. Web site: August 18, 2019. Deepa Malik becomes first female para-athlete to win Khel Ratna. 2021-03-22. The Times of India. en.
12. Web site: Mathew . Godwin . 2021-08-14 . All you need to know about Deepa Malik - the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympics . 2023-07-17 . www.sportskeeda.com . en-us.
13. Web site: Deepa Malik Birthday Special: Inspiring story of India's first Paralympic Games medallist . 2023-07-17 . Free Press Journal . en.
14. Web site: Bodapati . David . 29 October 2021 . Women In Motorsports India inducts Deepa Malik . 17 July 2023 . INDIAinF1.com.
15. News: The extraordinary story of paralympian Deepa Malik, who won medals for India from her wheelchair. January 18, 2020. 18 January 2024 . Scroll In. Boria Majumdar . Nalin Mehta.
16. Web site: Mehta . Boria Majumdar & Nalin . 2018-01-26 . Women who beat odds to shine: Gurugram's Deepa Malik among 100 winners of govt award. 2024-01-18 . Scroll.in . en-US.
17. Web site: Boria Majumdar . Nalin Mehta . January 2020 . Padma Awards 2017 announced . pib.gov.in.
18. Web site: Khel Ratna for Deepa Malik and Bajrang Punia, Arjuna for Ravindra Jadeja - Times of India. The Times of India.
19. Web site: September 19, 2019. Akaash. Dasgupta. Deepa Malik: My father told me 'you are cursing the dark Deepa, become the lamp': Khel Ratna awardee Deepa Malik. 2021-03-22. The Times of India. en.
20. News: Deepa Malik becomes first Indian woman to win medal at Paralympics, bags silver in shotput. 12 September 2016. The Indian Express. 12 September 2016.
21. News: Rio Paralympic medallists to be given cash awards. 12 September 2016. Business Standard. 6 September 2016.
22. Web site: Awards. www.sathyabama.ac.in. 14 October 2019. 5 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191005042722/http://www.sathyabama.ac.in/sitepagethree.php?firstref=100. dead.
23. Web site: Amjad Ali Khan, Para-athletes Deepa Malik, Manasi Joshi Celebrate Amitabh Bachchan's Birthday on KBC Sets. News18. 11 October 2019. 2019-10-19.
24. Web site: Deepa Malik, first Indian woman athlete to win Paralympics medal, joins BJP. 2019-03-25. The Financial Express. en-US. 2019-10-19.