Mariyappan Thangavelu, Paralympics Hero, Donates Part of Prize Money to School

Mariyappan Thangavelu is now toast of the nation. His gold medal winning effort in high jump at Rio Paralympics, has now made the 20-year-old from Periavadagampatti village in Tamil Nadu a national hero.

The accolades have also come in large numbers for this fruit seller's son from a tiny hamlet. Yet in his good times, Thangavelu hasn't forgotten his roots.

Out of all the prize money that Thangavelu has received, he has decided to donate Rs 30 lakh to the government school that he studied in.

He has received Rs two crore from the Tamil Nadu government for his feat, while the sports ministry has also announced Rs 75 lakh cash prize for the athlete.

#RioParalympics gold-medallist Mariyappan Thangavelu donates Rs 30 lakh from the prize money to his govt school.

- ANI (@ANI_news) September 12, 2016

Thangavelu clinched gold with a jump of 1.89 metre while Bhati won the bronze with an attempt of 1.86m, which is also his personal best mark.

The 20-year-old Thangavelu, with his stellar effort at Rio, became the first Indian high-jumper to win a gold medal at the Games. He is also the third Indian to win a gold at Paralympics after Murlikant Petkar (Swimming, 1972 Heidelberg) and Devendra Jhajharia (Javelin Throw, 2004 Athens).

At the age of five, a bus accident left him with a permanent disability. He was going to school when the bus took a wrong turn and ran over Thangavelu's right leg, damaging it below knee.

But that was not a deterrent for Thangavelu to pursue his dreams. In his first competition, he competed with able-bodied athletes and finished second. His rise has been steady since then.