Northeast Desk, 7th September: Paralympic athlete Hokato Hotozhe Sema from Nagaland made history by becoming the first from his state to win a Paralympic medal for India. Competing in the men’s shot put F57 event at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Sema secured the bronze medal with a personal best throw of 14.65 meters, surpassing the previous Paralympic record of 13.49 meters set by Olokhan Musayev of Azerbaijan.
Sema’s incredible performance earned him third place, with Iran’s Yasin Khosravi taking the gold with a 15.96-meter throw, and Brazil’s Thiago Paulino dos Santos claiming silver with 15.06 meters.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio took to X (formerly Twitter) to congratulate Sema on his achievement. “Congratulations to Hokato Hotozhe Sema on winning Bronze in Shot Put F57, marking the 27th medal for #TeamIndia at the ongoing @Paris2024 Paralympics Games. His remarkable journey & dedication has led to this outstanding achievement. He is a true inspiration & a role model,” Rio wrote.
Born on December 24, 1983, in Nagaland, Sema grew up in a farming family as the second of four children. His dream was to serve the country by joining the elite Special Forces. However, his life changed drastically after a mine blast during a Counter Infiltration Operation on October 14, 2002, cost him his left leg below the knee, putting an end to his dream of joining the military. Despite this setback, Sema’s resilience and determination led him to Paralympic glory, marking a significant moment in Indian and Nagaland sports history.
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