The Haryana government, on 13 September, announced a cash reward of Rs. 4 crore for Deepa Malik, who scripted history by winning silver in the women's shot put F53 event at the ongoing Paralympics in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro.
The 45-year-old athlete, hailing from Haryana's Sonipat district, became the country's first ever woman to win a medal at the Paralympics when she threw her personal best of 4.61m at the Olympic Stadium. She will receive the cash prize under the new Sports policy of Haryana for her feat.
This is India's third medal at these Games after Mariyappan Thangavelu and Varun Singh Bhati bagged gold and bronze in the men's high jump-T42 event, respectively.
Also Read:Paralympics 2016: Mariyappan Thangavelu wins gold, Varun Bhati bronze in Men's T42 High Jump
WOW - Deepa Malik just made history! She became India's first ever female medallist at the #Paralympics! #Rio2016 https://t.co/5QY68bkfzF
— Paralympic Games (@Paralympics) September 12, 2016
Congrats #DeepaMalik for wins silver in women's shot put #Rio2016 #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/yR8t7BFVie
— Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) September 12, 2016
Malik, the oldest member of Indian contingent, was confined to a wheelchair in 1999 owing to a spinal tumour which made her paralysed from waist down.
Also Read: Rio Paralympics 2016: Deepa Malik creates history, wins a silver in shot put!
In addition to the Rio feat, she is the current Asian record holder in the javelin throw, and has won silver in the shot put and discus throw events at the 2011 World Championships, respectively.
--ANI