Neeraj Yadav, three-time Asian Para Games gold medallist, found dead

Neeraj Yadav, a three-time Asian Para Games gold medallist who overcame post-polio residual paralysis diagnosed in childhood to build an international sporting career, has died at 42. His death was confirmed by S. Satyanarayana, head coach of India’s para-athletics team.

According to reports, Yadav was found dead near his car in Delhi on Tuesday night. A post-mortem examination was underway at a hospital in the capital and the circumstances surrounding his death had not been established at the time of reporting. “Neeraj has died by suicide. It is very unfortunate that such a thing has happened,” Satyanarayana was quoted by PTI. The coach said he could not speculate on the precise reason behind the tragedy.

Yadav’s sporting journey began against considerable physical challenges. Diagnosed with post-polio residual paralysis at the age of seven, he initially pursued wheelchair tennis before switching to para-athletics around 2015. He competed in the F55 category, which includes seated field events such as javelin, discus and shot put.

His breakthrough came at the 2018 Asian Para Games in Jakarta, where he won gold in the men’s F55 javelin with a throw of 29.84 metres, setting an Asian record. Five years later, at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games in 2023, he added two more gold medals in javelin and discus. He was not considered for the just concluded Games in Aichi Nagoya as Neeraj was still serving a doping suspension.