Tokyo Paralympics: Gautam Buddh Nagar DM Suhas Yathiraj Wins Silver In Badminton

Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate (DM) Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj ended his campaign with a historic silver at the Tokyo Paralympics. He lost to top seed and world champion Lucas Mazur of France 21-15, 21-15-21 in the men's singles SL4 category.

The district magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida) thus also became the first-ever IAS officer to win a medal at the Paralympics.

Yathiraj, a Karnataka-born engineer, is apparently ranked third in the world in his category and is an IAS officer from the 2007 batch.

He used to practice at nights post work amidst simultaneously handling the Covid-19 situation in the last year-and-half. The 38-year-old has worked as a DM in around a dozen districts of UP and has also competed in multiple national and international competitions.

“I believe in the teachings of Bhagvat Geeta. Do your deed and you will get the results. I am not putting myself under any pressure. If God has brought me to this level, then I am going to put in all my efforts,” the bureaucrat-sportsperson said whilst interacting with the media at his Sector 27 office in Noida.