Picture a nine-year-old boy, legs failing him due to a rare neurological attack— that’s Yogesh Kathunia in 2006, battling Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Hailing from Bahadurgarh, Haryana (born March 3, 1997), his doctor-aspiring parents watched helplessly as he fought back with crutches, propelled by mom Meena Devi’s care and therapy.
A college encounter changed everything. In 2016, Sachin Yadav at Kirori Mal College introduced him to para-sports via videos. Yogesh embraced discus throw, exploding onto the scene with a 45.18m world record in F36 at Berlin 2018 Europeans.
Tokyo Paralympics 2020 delivered India’s silver in F56 discus. Arjuna Award in 2021 cemented his status. Then came 2022’s cervical radiculopathy, a six-month setback from spinal nerve issues.
Resilience defined his comeback: silver in Paris 2024 F56 and another in 2025 Worlds. Yogesh’s narrative redefines success, showing how one man’s unyielding spirit elevates a nation.