Broken home, damaged leg — when Mariyappan jumped over obstacles, fulfilled dreams

Mariyappan had come in contact with a Covid-19 positive person during his flight to Tokyo and had to thus be in quarantine. Not only did he miss the opening ceremony, it also affected his training schedule. 

But when it was time, even amid rainfall, Mariyappan secured a silver medal for India in the high jump T63 (for athletes with limb deficiencies), on Tuesday. 

“My son has made us all proud by winning a medal for the nation once again,” said his proud mother Saroja. She was glued to the television along with other family members at their house to witness the feat of her son in the Paralympics. 

Mariyappan ability to fight against the odds may have begun when he was 5. He suffered permanent disability in his right leg when he was run over by a drunken bus driver while he was walking to school. The bus crushed his leg below the knee, causing it to become stunted.  At the general hospital, the doctors recommended removing his leg, but his mother, Saroja, didn't allow it. 

Mariyappan slowly relearned to walk. He even fought poverty and grew up in a broken home to realise his dreams. His father had abandoned the family in his early years. 

Even when he began to represent India — the family used to live in a tiny house (about the size of a high jump mat) in their village. Their situation, however, changed after Mariyappan won gold at Rio. 

A few months later, Aishwarya R Dhanush decided to showcase his story in reel life while Shah Rukh Khan tweeted the first look poster. 

On Tuesday, after Mariyappan's silver win, his family members and people of his hometown Periavadagampatti in Salem broke into celebration. It was also a  celebration of his unbeatable spirit. 

“I was expecting him to win a gold medal. But we are very happy and proud that Mariyappan won a silver medal. I am confident that my son will achieve gold in the next Paralympic games,” his mother Saroja said.