Deepthi Jeevanji, who was often called 'Monkey' and 'Mental' by fellow villagers, has fought against taboos to achieve glory at the Paralympics.

The Paris Paralympics 2024 has demonstrated that anything is achievable with determination.

Despite numerous challenges, athletes have risen to glory.

Among these inspirational athletes is India's Deepthi Jeevanji, whose journey was fraught with obstacles, but she never gave up.

On Tuesday, Deepthi Jeevanji won the 16th medal for India by securing a bronze in the women's 400m T20 final at the ongoing Paris Paralympics 2024, finishing the race in 55.

82 seconds.

Deepthi Jeevanji had previously won India's first gold medal at the World Athletics Para Championship in Kobe, Japan.

She hails from the village of Kalleda in the Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh.

Her parents, Jeevanji Yadhagiri and Jeevanji Dhanalaxmi, recalled how their daughter faced taunts while growing up.

According to a report in The Indian Express, Deepthi was born with an intellectual disability, a cognitive condition that hampers communication and adaptive skills.

'She was born during the solar eclipse, and her head was very small at birth, along with her lips and nose being a bit unusual.

Every villager who saw her, and some of our relatives, would call Deepthi 'pichi' (mental) and 'kothi' (monkey) and tell us to send her to an orphanage.

Today, seeing her become the world champion in a far-off country proves that she is indeed a special girl,' said Jeevanji Dhanalaxmi, Deepthi's mother, in May.

'When my husband's father died, we had to sell the farm to make ends meet.

My husband would earn Rs100 or Rs150 a day, so there were days when I had to work to support our family, including Deepthi's younger sister Amulya.

Deepthi was always a calm child and spoke very little.

But when the village kids would tease her, she would come home and cry.

So, I would make her sweet rice or, on some days, chicken, and that's what made her happy.

''Even though it's a big day for all of us, I could not afford to miss work.

That's my bread and butter, and the whole day I was thinking about Deepthi winning a medal in Paris and would tell the driver Elfer about calling other friends and their families to celebrate Deepthi's medal.

She has always given us joy, and this medal will also mean a lot to us.

'