Suhas Yathiraj lives by the philosophy of “sport helps you conquer”. And he lived in his own words by winning a silver medal in badminton at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. Significantly, his achievement has also helped break a stereotype common in India that does not equate athletic excellence with academics.
Yathiraj is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, having passed one of the toughest exams in the country on the first try. In fact, candidates often sacrifice years in pursuit of excellence in public service exams and attempt it multiple times.
Yathiraj graduated in Computer Engineering from Surathkal National Institute of Technology, Karnataka in 2004. The brilliant Yathiraj passed the civil service exam in 2006, then started his career as an IAS officer in 2007.
It was not until 2015-16 that he became a professional para-badminton player and has since managed his duties as Gautam Buddha Nagar district magistrate and athletic training to good effect.
Yathiraj, who has an ankle disability, overcame the challenges presented to him to excel at badminton. And he has several international achievements to his credit. He became the very first sitting Indian bureaucrat to represent and win a medal for India at the world level when he won gold at the 2016 Asian Para-Badminton Championships. That journey has now taken him to the Games. Paralympic where he has just been beaten in the men’s singles final of the SL4 category by Frenchman Lucas Mazur.
“I think this medal (at the Tokyo Paralympic Games) was celebrated by everyone in the country. The amount of welcome we received at New Delhi airport (shows it), ”Yathiraj said Olympics.com.
“I think the myth that studying and sport cannot be pursued together has been shattered. Many are surprised that a person can be good at studies and sports.
“Parents also want their children to be good at studies and sports. They see education as the most stable option. I think a lot of young people can at least have the confidence to pursue both, ”he added.
The celebration at home around his Paralympic Games medal also makes him believe that the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics were a watershed moment for India as they helped develop a sporting culture.
“The amount of support, love that everyone is showing is amazing. There was a time when the country’s celebrities were movie stars and only cricketers, ”Yathiraj said.
“But I think now the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics would be a defining moment in Indian history, because of the amount of adulation and recognition that Olympians and Paralympians are getting. I think it’s really heartwarming, ”he added.
And badminton remains a spiritual experience for him. However, he is extremely methodical in his approach to the sport and enjoys working on its crucial details.
“Badminton is a meditation for me. I am extremely methodical, I develop my attack and defense capacities, my reach. I work very carefully on this part and also on how I would manage during the game. I visualize the matches in my head. So yes, I have methods that comfort me while playing, ”Yathiraj explained.
Plus, he’s not active on social media and stays away from it, partly because of his professional role and because he doesn’t think it adds value to his life.
“I am not at all a reserved person. Because of the administrative work I do. I intentionally steered clear of social media because I don’t see any added value in it. I always thought we shouldn’t go behind the fame or the money or whatever, ”Yathiraj said.
Yathiraj, 38, also believes that the silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympic Games will motivate him to do even better at the Paris Paralympic Games in 2024.
Read all the latest news, breaking news and coronavirus news here
