Indian para-sports has suffered a major loss following the reported death of Neeraj Yadav, one of the country’s accomplished para-athletes and a three-time Asian Para Games gold medallist. The 42-year-old reportedly died by suicide at his residence in Delhi on Tuesday night, October 27, 2026. India’s chief para-athletics coach, S. Satyanarayana, confirmed the tragic development, while the circumstances surrounding the incident remained unclear.
Neeraj Yadav won three Asian Para Games gold medals
Neeraj Yadav represented India in para-athletics, primarily competing in the F55 category in field events such as javelin throw and discus throw. He established himself as a successful international competitor through his consistent performances at major competitions.
Yadav achieved a major milestone at the 2018 Asian Para Games in Jakarta, where he won gold in the men’s F55 javelin throw with an Asian-record distance of 29.84 metres.
He continued his impressive run at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games, which took place in 2023 after being postponed from 2022. Yadav won two gold medals, finishing on top in the men’s javelin throw F55 event and the discus throw competition. His performances took his overall Asian Para Games gold medal tally to three.
Neeraj Yadav’s journey from wheelchair tennis to para-athletics
Born in Uttar Pradesh, Yadav was diagnosed with post-polio residual paralysis at the age of seven. Despite the challenges, he continued pursuing his sporting ambitions and initially competed in wheelchair tennis between 2005 and 2012.
He subsequently switched to para-athletics and began attracting attention at the Delhi State Athletics Meet in 2015, where he won gold medals in shot put, javelin throw and discus throw.
His international breakthrough followed in the years ahead, with his 2018 Asian Para Games triumph becoming a defining moment in his career.
Doping suspension affected his sporting career
Yadav’s career also encountered difficulties after a sample collected in 2023 reportedly tested positive for stanozolol, a prohibited anabolic steroid. The National Anti-Doping Agency provisionally suspended him, affecting his participation in subsequent competitions.
Reports indicated that the suspension prevented him from competing at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
His reported death has left India’s para-athletics community mourning the loss of an athlete who overcame significant challenges to achieve success on the continental stage. The circumstances surrounding his death remain subject to further clarification.
