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Devendra Jhajharia Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 4, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth10 June 1981

Age43 Years

BirthplaceRajgarh, Churu District, Rajasthan

ProfessionAthlete (Javelin)

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

FamilyFather - Ram Singh; Mother - Jivani Devi; Brothers - Arvind Jhajharia, Pradeep Jhajharia

Devendra Jhajharia Biography

Devendra Jhajharia is an Indian Paralympic javelin thrower from Rajasthan. A double Paralympic gold medallist, he has set world records and received top‑to

Early life and background

Devendra Jhajharia was born on 10 June 1981 in Rajgarh in the Churu district of Rajasthan and grew up in the same region. He attended Government High School in Ratanpura, Churu, and later studied at NMPG College in Hanumangarh, where he completed a Bachelor of Arts. His family includes his parents Ram Singh and Jivani Devi and brothers Arvind and Pradeep Jhajharia. He lives in Jaipur.

When he was a child, Jhajharia suffered a severe electrical accident that resulted in the amputation of his left hand. Despite this early setback, he began practising javelin using a handmade wooden implement in the fields near his home, laying the foundation for a future in para‑athletics.

Career

Jhajharia made his international debut in 2002 at the Para‑Asian Games, where he won a gold medal. He competes in the F46 javelin classification and quickly established himself on the global stage.

A major breakthrough came at the 2004 Athens Paralympics when he won gold in javelin and set a world record. That same year he was honoured with the Arjuna Award by the Government of India. Over the next decade he continued to perform at the highest level: in 2012 he received the Padma Shri, and in 2016 he won another Paralympic gold at Rio de Janeiro, becoming the first Indian Paralympian to claim two Paralympic gold medals.

Jhajharia has remained competitive into the 2020s. In July 2021 he produced a new world record of 65.71 metres during selection trials in New Delhi, a mark that secured his qualification for the Tokyo Paralympics. His training in that period was guided by coach Sunil Tanwar.

Public profile

Outside competition, Jhajharia has been recognised by the Indian government for his sporting achievements, receiving national honours including the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri. He has also been identified with the Bharatiya Janata Party in recent political activity and contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from the Churu constituency.

Personal life

Jhajharia is married and has two children, one son and one daughter. His listed hobbies include travelling. He is described as having black eyes and black hair and a height of approximately 6 feet (183 cm). He follows the Hindu faith.

Latest updates

In 2021 he entered the Tokyo Paralympics cycle by setting a world record at the national trials. In 2022 he was conferred the Padma Bhushan (Sports). In the 2024 general election he contested the Churu Lok Sabha seat and lost to Rahul Kaswan of the Indian National Congress by 72,737 votes.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Devendra Jhajharia, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded
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Recent Work

2020 Tokyo Paralympics qualification

Set a world record of 65.71 metres during selection trials in New Delhi in July 2021 and qualified for the Tokyo Paralympics.

2021
Contested Churu Lok Sabha seat

Ran as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate in the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Churu; was defeated by Rahul Kaswan.

2024
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Career Highlights

  1. Gold medal at the 2002 Para‑Asian Games
  2. Gold medal and world record at the 2004 Athens Paralympics
  3. Arjuna Award (2004)
  4. Padma Shri (2012)
  5. Gold medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, becoming the first Indian Paralympian with two Paralympic golds
  6. Set a 65.71 m world record at 2021 selection trials
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Devendra Jhajharia born?

10 June 1981

What is Devendra Jhajharia known for?

Athlete (Javelin)

What is Devendra Jhajharia’s marital status?

Married