New Delhi, October 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Three-time Asian Para Games javelin throw champion Neeraj Yadav has died by suicide at his flat, national chief para-athletics coach S. Satyanarayana confirmed on Wednesday. The circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear.
“Yes, Neeraj has died by suicide at his flat. This is extremely unfortunate and tragic. The cause behind the extreme step is yet to be ascertained,” Satyanarayana said.
Yadav, who hailed from Uttar Pradesh, was among India’s accomplished para-athletes. Diagnosed with polio at the age of seven, he used a wheelchair and initially played wheelchair tennis for around seven years before turning to athletics in 2015.
He made an early impact at the 2015 Delhi State Athletics Meet, winning gold medals in shot put, javelin throw and discus. The following year, he won silver medals in the men’s F55 shot put and discus events at the Fazza Grand Prix.
Yadav rose to prominence at the 2018 Asian Para Games in Indonesia, where he won gold in the men’s F55 javelin throw with an Asian record of 29.84 metres.
His success continued at the 2022 Asian Para Games, held in Hangzhou, China, in October 2023. He claimed two gold medals, winning the discus throw in the F54/55/56 category and the men’s F55 javelin event.
In 2022, he also won gold at the Marrakech Para Athletics Grand Prix in Morocco, setting a new Indian national record.
His achievements made him a prominent figure in Indian para-athletics, with his journey reflecting years of dedication to competitive sport.
Yadav’s death is a tragic loss for the para-athletics community. The circumstances leading to his death have not yet been established.
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