Suhas L Yathiraj Paris Paralympics: IAS officer Suhas won silver, lost to French player Lucas Mazur in the final

Indian badminton player Suhas L Yathiraj had to settle for the silver medal at the Paris Paralympics. On September 2 (Monday), he lost 9-21, 13-21 to French veteran Lucas Mazur in the men’s singles SL4 final of badminton. 41-year-old Suhas had to settle for the silver medal in the Tokyo Paralympics due to his defeat against Mazur.

World number-1 Suhas could not give his best in the final match. In the first game, Suhas did not look in rhythm at all. In the second game, Suhas tried to make a comeback but the French veteran player took important points and won the match. Suhas had defeated Mazur in the World Championship 2024 this year, but once again Mazur proved to be too much for the Indian player in the Paralympics. With Suhas winning the silver medal, the number of medals of India in the current Paralympic Games has now gone up to 12. India has so far won two gold, five silver and five bronze medals.

Medal No. 1⃣2⃣ for India at the Paris Paralympics.

Heartbreaking loss for India’s Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj in the Men’s Singles SL4 final at the 2024 Paralympics, as he fell to Lucas Mazur of France in straight sets, 21-9, 21-13.#Paralympics #Badminton @mansukhmandviya… pic.twitter.com/tL4rXAdH8c

— Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) September 2, 2024

Who is Suhas LY?

Suhas L Yathiraj is an IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre. Currently, he is working as Secretary and Director General of Youth Welfare and Provincial Guard Force of Uttar Pradesh Government. Suhas has also been the DM of Gautam Buddha Nagar and Prayagraj. Born in Shigoma, Karnataka, Suhas LY has written his destiny with his own hands. Divyang (problem in the leg) from birth, Suhas did not want to become an IAS from the beginning. He was very interested in sports since childhood.

For this, he got full support from his father and family. His leg was not completely fit, so he had to face taunts from the society, but his father and family stood like a rock against those taunts and never let Suhas lose courage. Suhas’s father looked at him like a normal child. Suhas’s love for cricket is a gift from his father. The family never stopped him, Suhas played whatever game he wanted and his father also always expected him to win. His father’s job was transferable, so Suhas continued his studies by moving from city to city.

Suhas did his early education in the village and completed his engineering in Computer Science from the National Institute of Technology in Surat city. Suhas was devastated after his father’s death in 2005. Suhas said that his father had an important place in his life and he always missed him. His death was a big blow for Suhas. Meanwhile, Suhas decided that he now has to join the civil service. Then he left everything and started preparing for UPSC.

This is how the journey of badminton started

The game which he used to play as a hobby had slowly become a necessity for him. Suhas used to play badminton to relieve his office fatigue, but when he started winning medals in some competitions, he started playing it professionally. In 2016, he started playing international matches. Suhas lost his first match in the badminton tournament played in China, but with this defeat he also found the winning formula and after that this journey has continued till now.

India’s medallists at Paris Paralympics 2024

1. Avani Lekhara (Shooting) – Gold Medal, Women’s 10m Air Rifle (SH1)

2. Mona Agarwal (Shooting) – Bronze Medal, Women’s 10m Air Rifle (SH1)

3. Preeti Pal (Athletics) – Bronze Medal, Women’s 100m Race (T35)

4. Manish Narwal (Shooting)- Silver Medal, Men’s 10m Air Pistol (SH1)

5. Rubina Francis (Shooting) – Bronze Medal, Women’s 10m Air Pistol (SH1)

6. Preeti Pal (Athletics) – Bronze Medal, Women’s 200m Race (T35)

7. Nishad Kumar (Athletics) – Silver Medal, Men’s High Jump (T47)

8. Yogesh Kathuniya (Athletics) – Silver Medal, Men’s Discus Throw (F56)

9. Nitesh Kumar (Badminton)- Gold Medal, Men’s Singles (SL3)

10. Manisha Ramdas (Badminton)- Bronze Medal, Women’s Singles (SU5)

11. Thulasimathi Murugesan (Badminton)- Silver Medal, Women’s Singles (SU5)

12. Suhas L Yathiraj (Badminton)- Silver Medal, Men’s Singles (SL4)