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{{Short description|Indian Paralympic athlete (born 1994)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
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| sport = [[Paralympic athletics]]
|disability =
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| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1994}}
| birth_place = [[Tamil Nadu]], India
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| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport|Men's [[para-athletics]]}}
{{Medal|Country|{{IND}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Asian Para Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2022 Asian Para Games|2022 Hangzhou]]|[[Athletics at the 2022 Asian Para Games|Long jump T64]]}}
}}

'''Solairaj Dharmaraj''' (born 22 May 1994)<ref name=":0">https://asianparalympic.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/HAPGOC_2024_Official_report_of_the_Hangzhou_Asian_Para_Games_Vol_3_Official_Result.pdf Page 73</ref> is an Indian para athlete from [[Tamil Nadu]].

== Background ==
Dharmaraj is a subedar in the Indian Army and after he lost a leg he took to sports in 2018 and became a paralympian.<ref name=":1" />

== Career ==
He won gold medal in the men's long jump T64 event at the [[2022 Asian Para Games]] at [[Hangzhou]], [[China]] on 27 October 2023.<ref>{{cite news|title=India create history, claim 100 medals at Asian Para Games in record-breaking campaign|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/others/india-create-history-claim-100-medals-at-asian-para-games-in-record-breaking-campaign-101698466743347.html|date=28 October 2023|work=Hindustan Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Asian Para Games 2023: Solairaj Dharmaraj wins gold, creates new Area Record in men's long jump T64 |url=https://khelnow.com/asian-games/2023-10-asian-para-games-2023-solairaj-dharmaraj-gold |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=Khel Now |language=en}}</ref> He jumped to a distance of 6.80m defeating Sri Lankan Maththaka Gamage (6.68m) to create a new games record.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Asian Para Games: Dharmaraj Solairaj Secures Gold In Men's Long Jump-T64 Event {{!}} Athletics News |url=https://sports.ndtv.com/athletics/asian-para-games-dharmaraj-solairaj-secures-gold-in-mens-long-jump-t64-event-4519843 |access-date=2024-02-08 |work=NDTVSports.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Iyer |first=Sunita |title=Asian Para Games 2023: Solairaj Dharmaraj bags 25th gold medal for India after win in long jump T64 category |url=https://newsable.asianetnews.com/sports/asian-para-games-2023-solairaj-dharamraj-bags-25th-gold-medal-for-india-after-win-in-long-jump-t64-category-snt-s36jz6 |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-27 |title=India at Asian Para Games: Sheetal Devi, Solairaj Dharmaraj bag gold as medal tally touches 99 |url=https://scroll.in/field/1058241/india-at-asian-para-games-sheetal-devi-solairaj-dharmaraj-bag-gold-as-medal-tally-touches-99 |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=Scroll.in |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-27 |title=Hangzhou Asian Para Games, Day 5: Sheetal wins sensational individual title; 4 golds in Para badminton as India finish day on 99 medals |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/asian-games/hangzhou-asian-para-games-day-5-sheetal-wins-sensational-individual-title-4-golds-in-para-badminton-as-india-finish-day-on-99-medals-9002395/ |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> He failed his first three jumps and then logged 6.36m in his fourth. After another failed attempt, he leaped to a gold-winning 6.80m in his sixth and final jump.<ref name=":0" /> He beat the Asian Record held by compatriot, Ramudri Someswara Rao, who set a distance of 6.42 at Dubai in March 2022. Rao, also competed here but could only jump to 6.18m for a bronze.<ref name=":0" />

He was also congratulated by the prime minister, [[Narendra Modi]] for winning a gold medal.<ref>{{cite web|title=PM congratulates Dharmaraj Solairaj for winning gold in men's long jump-T64 at Asian Para Games|date=27 October 2023|url=https://www.narendramodi.in/prime-minister-narendra-modi-congratulates-dharmaraj-solairaj-for-winning-gold-in-men-s-long-jump-t64-at-asian-para-games--575459}}</ref>

In May 2024, he took part in the World Para Athletic Championship in Kobe, Japan, which was the final qualifying tournament for the Paris Paralympics.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-05-14 |title=Chance for TN quartet to book Paralympics berths |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/chance-for-tn-quartet-to-book-paralympics-berths/articleshow/110096625.cms |access-date=2025-04-18 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

In March 2025, representing Tamil Nadu, his home state, Dharmaraj won the gold medal in the combined men's long jump T44/T64 category at the Khelo India para games 2025, held at Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-23 |title=Khelo India Para Games 2025: Debutants Alphia James, Mandeep steal badminton spotlight as Paralympians dominate - Saachi Baat |url=https://saachibaat.com/sports/khelo-india-para-games-2025-debutants-alphia-james-mandeep-steal-badminton-spotlight-as-paralympians-dominate/ |access-date=2025-06-22 |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Other activity ===
In November 2024, Dharmaraj attended a show where advanced military equipment and weaponry were displayed for school students, NCC cadets and civil-military dignitaries as part of the Veer Gatha 2024, a joint initiative of the [[Ministry of defence|Ministry of Defence]] (MoD) and [[Ministry of Education]] (MoE) at Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in Kolkata.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=2024-11-11 |title=Students interact with Army veterans at Veer Gatha 2024 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/115188533.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst |access-date=2025-06-22 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dharmaraj, Solairaj}}
[[Category:1994 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian men long jumpers]]
[[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:Sportspeople from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Competitors in the sport of athletics with limb difference]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2022 Asian Para Games]]

Solairaj Dharmaraj - Revision history

JyotikaSBaliarsingh: Creating pg...