40-year-old Shot Put Indian Athlete Hokato Hotozhe Sema contributed to India's medal tally as he bagged Bronze in the ongoing Paris 2024 Paralympics. The veteran winning Sema is only the tip of the iceberg of the athlete's story as his journey is far more inspirational, laced with doggedness and determination.
.jpg)
Born on December 24, 1983 in Nagaland, Sema comes from a very humble background with a family of four children. The 40-year-old had started working rigorously on his physical fitness and mental strength from a tender age with a view to joining the Elite Special Forces. However, things change drastically, taking a turn for the worse on October 14, 2002 during a Counter Infiltration Operation, which he was part of.
Sema's dream of joining Special Forces were dashed as a minor blast led him to lose his left leg below the knee. However, he decided to invest himself in training for Shot Put for F57 category, which includes athletes with limb weaknesses or deficiencies on the muscle power front. Sema honed his skills Army Paralympic Node in Pune, thereby qualifying to compete in the Paris Paralympics.
Before the Paris Paralympics, Sema had won bronze in the Asian Games last year and secured silver in the Moroccan Grand Prix in 2022. In 2024, he came 4th in the World Championship.
Narendra Modi recognizes Hokato Hotozhe Sema's achievement:
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Sema for his traits of strength and determination, stating on X:
"A proud moment for our nation as Hokato Hotozhe Sema brings home the Bronze medal in Men's Shotput F57! His incredible strength and determination are exceptional. Congratulations to him. Best wishes for the endeavours ahead."
