That&rsquo;s the tragic tale of para-athlete Devendra Jhajharia, who is crying for recognition for disabled athletes. <img alt="Devendra Jhajharia" src="http://images.mid-day.com/2013/aug/Devendra-Jhajharia.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 669px;" /> Devendra Jhajharia While the sports ministry is always quick to congratulate able-bodied athletes when they win a medal in top international events, one-armed Devendra is yet to get a congratulatory message for winning the javelin throw (F-47 category) gold at the World Paralympic Championships in Lyon, France, July 21. &ldquo;This is the tragedy of para-athletes in the country. Generally the sports ministry is quick to congratulate sportspersons when they win an Olympic or a World Championship medal. But I am yet to get even a courtesy call from the government,&rdquo; said the 32-year-old. The only consolation for Devendra has been a cash award of Rs 5 lakh from the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).u00a0&ldquo;I am an Olympic medallist, a World Champion but still a Grade IV employee in Indian Railways. It is a tragedy but that is a fact of life. The sports ministry had promised that any athlete who wins an Olympic or a World Championship medal will get the job of a Class I officer in the Sports Authority of India (SAI). But we are yet to get anything from SAI despite making repeated efforts,&rdquo; said Devendra. &ldquo;There is discrimination between able-bodied and para-athletes in our country. This should be wiped out. We, too, have won medals and brought laurels to the country.&rdquo; Devendra said it was high time for the government to come up with a sports policy for para-athletes. &ldquo;The government is not doing anything for the para-athletes in a concrete manner. There should be a specific policy for us. While the Olympians get jobs, we get nothing,&rdquo; he said. While growing up, Devendra, who hails from Rajasthan&rsquo;s Churu district, said he was made to feel by others that he was weak. But now he is happy that he has proved them wrong. &ldquo;While growing up, I was always made to feel that I was different from other children. They used to make me feel that I was weak. But today I have proved them wrong. I am as strong as they are,&rdquo; he said. u00a0

An Olympic medallist, a World Champion, a Padma Shri and yet a Grade IV employee in Indian Railways!

World champ Devendra Jhajharia wants end of discrimination

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World champ Devendra Jhajharia wants end of discrimination

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