Suhas Yathiraj has become the first Indian badminton player to secure two consecutive Paralympic medals. (Getty)
Paralympic silver medalist IAS Suhas Yathiraj overcame early rejections and polio, balancing his roles as a top officer and athlete
Uttar Pradesh IAS officer and former Noida District Magistrate Suhas Yathiraj has hit headlines once again for replicated his Tokyo performance at the Paris Paralympics 2024 by winning a silver medal in the men’s singles SL4 event. Yathiraj has become the first Indian badminton player to secure two consecutive Paralympic medals.
Suhas Yathiraj is also the only IAS officer to have received the Arjuna Award. While serving as the District Magistrate of Azamgarh, he won gold at the 2016 Asian Para Badminton Championship Final by defeating Indonesia’s Harry Susanto.
However, Suhas’ journey was not an easy one. Born in Karnataka’s Shimoga, Suhas faced polio since birth. A top student from a young age, he completed his B.Tech in Computer Science from NIT Surathkal. In 2023, he served as the Secretary and Director General of the Youth Welfare and Prantiya Rakshak Dal Department.
In a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Suhas recounted how watching “Hum Honge Kamyaab” on Doordarshan deeply inspired him. During his early years, he faced rejection from his village school thrice. His late father reassured him, saying, “It doesn’t matter if you don’t get a seat in school right now; someday you will achieve something great in life.”
Suhas feels fortunate that he has achieved so much with his father’s inspiration. He has worked diligently to reach the Paralympics 2024, making significant personal sacrifices along the way. His dedication to sports has been a major part of his life. He showcases his exceptional badminton skills in every match. After completing his B Tech, Suhas began preparing for the civil service examination and secured 382nd rank in the UPSC Civil Service Examination in 2007.
He has worked as District Magistrate in various districts of Uttar Pradesh. During the pandemic, he was appointed the District Magistrate of Gautam Buddha Nagar, that is, Noida. During his tenure there, he quickly became a favorite among the people.
Suhas’ wife Ritu is a PCS officer currently serving as Additional District Magistrate (Administration) in Ghaziabad. The couple has two children. While Suhas represents the country in sports, Ritu balances her roles as an officer and a model, frequently going viral with her ramp walk videos.
