Paralympic medallist Mariappan Thangavelu received a grand welcome at his native village Periyavadagampatti here. The district administration received him as he reached the district.
District Collector S. Karmegham along with DMK legislator R.Rajendran, District Sports Officer S. Sivaranjan and other senior officials received him at Thevettipatti on Salem-Bengaluru highway and presented him with shawls and books.
The villagers carried him on their shoulders to an open-top jeep and was taken in procession for about 7 km from the highway along with his mother Saroja.
Mr. Thangavelu was honoured along with his mother Saroja, brothers Kumar and Gopi and other family members.
Talking to presspersons, Mr. Thangavelu said that he was elated that he could win a medal for the country. He said that his mother was disappointed that he could not win a gold medal and he would win gold next time. He added that he would like to start a sports academy in Salem for training sporting talents.
Mr. Thangavelu cleared a height of 1.86 metres in men’s high jump in the recently concluded Tokyo paralympics and clinched the silver medal. This is the second consecutive medal and he had won gold medal in the paralympics held in 2016.
