TiffaniKellum: Creating initial page v1

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Creating initial page v1

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{{Short description|Indian runner (born 2001)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2024}}

{{Infobox sportsperson
| image =
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| nationality =
| sport = [[Paralympic athletics]]
|disability =
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2001|1|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Chikmagalur district|Chikmagalur]], India
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| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport|Women's [[para-athletics]]}}
{{Medal|Country|{{IND}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Asian Para Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2018 Asian Para Games|2018 Jakarta]]|[[Athletics at the 2018 Asian Para Games|1500m T11]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2022 Asian Para Games|2022 Hangzhou]]|[[Athletics at the 2022 Asian Para Games|1500m T11]]}}
}}

'''Rakshitha Raju''' (born 15 January 2001)<ref>{{cite web | title=Paris 2024 | website=Olympics | url=https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024-paralympics/entries/para-athletics/india/women-s-1500m---t11 | access-date=2024-09-22}}</ref> is an Indian runner, who is visually impaired. She takes part in the women's 1500 metres T11 category. She was selected for the Indian team that took part in the 2022 [[Hangzhou]] [[Asian Para Games]]. She won the gold medal Asian Para Games behind China's Shanshan He.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2023-10-26 |title=Blind runner Rakshitha bags gold in 1,500m |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/athletics/blind-runner-rakshitha-bags-gold-in-1500m/articleshow/104718381.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2023-11-01 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=PM congratulates Rakshitha Raju for clinching gold in women's 1500m-T11 at Asian Para Games |url=https://pib.gov.in/pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1971154 |access-date=2023-11-01 |website=pib.gov.in}}</ref> Later, Shanshan was disqualified and Raju was promoted to take the gold medal.<ref name=":0" /> She clocked 5 minutes, 21.45 seconds. Being a visually handicapped runner, Rakshitha completed the race with the help of a guide Rahul Balakrishna.

== Early life and education ==
Rakshitha hails from Baluguddanahalli village in [[Chikmagalur district|Chikkamagalur district]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Prakash, DHNS |first=Hita |title='People should stop treating us as second-class citizens' |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/people-should-stop-treating-us-as-second-class-citizens-970071.html |access-date=2023-11-01 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref> She was a student of Asha Kirana Andha Makkala Shale (blind school) in Chikkamagaluru. She learnt her basics under coach and mentor Balakrishna,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Prakash |first=Hita |title=Marvels of para sports |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/other-sports/marvels-of-para-sports-2757141 |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref> who is also her guide runner.<ref name=":0" /> She was introduced to Balakrishna by her initial guide runner Sowmya at Asha Kirana school. She lost both her parents at an early age and was brought up by her grandmother, who was dumb and deaf. She was a product of the [[Sports Authority of India]], [[Bengaluru]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Rakshita Raju- an Award Winning Para Athlete {{!}} IndusInd Bank For Sports |url=https://www.indusind.com/in/en/for-sports/Programs/para-champions/rakshita-raju.html |access-date=2023-11-01 |website=www.indusind.com}}</ref> Rahul was her first coach.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=October 20, 2018 |first=Amit |last=Kumar |title=2 young athletes from Karnataka have made India proud at Asian Para Games 2018 |url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/2-young-athletes-from-karnataka-have-made-country-proud-at-asian-para-games-2018/articleshow/66287092.cms |access-date=2023-11-01 |website=Bangalore Mirror |language=en}}</ref>

== Career ==
Rakshitha took part in the 1500m at the Para Athletics World Championships in July 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=PTI |date=2023-07-09 |title=Para Athletics World C'ships 2023: Rakshitha enters women's 1500m final |url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/athletics/para-athletics-world-championship-2023-rakshitha-enters-womens-1500m-final-result-highlights-score-updates/article67060503.ece |access-date=2023-11-01 |website=Sportstar |language=en}}</ref> Earlier in 2021, she won a bronze medal in the 1500m event at World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2021 in [[Dubai]]<ref name=":1" /> after another bronze in 2019, at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix [[Paris]] where she clocked her personal best of 5.29.00 .<ref name=":1" /> She also won a gold medals in the 1500m and 800m events at the 2019 World Para Athletics Junior Championships, [[Nottwil]], Switzerland.

In 2017, she was selected for the Youth Asian Games but could not travel due to passport issues. However, in 2018 she won the Gold in the 1500m event at the [[Asian Para Games]] at [[Jakarta]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

== Domestic career ==

In 2022, she won a gold medal in the 200m, 400m and 1500m events at the 20th National Para Athletics Championships, [[Odisha]].<ref name=":1" /> In 2021 she won the Gold Medal in the 400m and 1500m events at the 19th National Para Athletics Championships, Bengaluru.<ref name=":1" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raju, Rakshitha}}
[[Category:2001 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportswomen from Karnataka]]
[[Category:Indian women middle-distance runners]]
[[Category:Paralympic athletes for India]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2018 Asian Para Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2022 Asian Para Games]]
[[Category:Asian Para Games medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Asian Para Games gold medalists for India]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Paralympics]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian sportswomen]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2022 Asian Para Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2018 Asian Para Games]]

Rakshitha Raju - Revision history

TiffaniKellum: Creating initial page v1