Deepa Malik, mother of two, overcame a spinal tumour, 31 surgeries and 183 stitches to win India a Silver medal at the ongoing Rio Paralympics.India's Deepa Malik scripted history when she won the silver medal in the women's shotput F53 event at the Rio Paralympics on Monday, with a personal best throw of 4.61m.

With this herculean effort, she became India's first woman and oldest athlete to ever win a medal at the Paralympics.

Deepa started off with a throw of 4.26m, then registered 4.49 on her second attempt and 4.41m on the third. On her sixth throw, she recorded a personal best of of 4.61m, which ultimately helped her finish second.

"I want to use this medal to support women with disabilities in India. This journey has been wonderful for me and my entire family, I am proud to be the oldest athlete in the team and win a medal."

Deepa is a paraplegic, paralysed from waist down. A spinal tumour confined her to a wheelchair 17 years ago, and she has been unable to walk since then. 

Deepa's distinctions in multiple sports, her various activities including 'Ability beyond Disability', her three Limca Book of World Records and her various medals in swimming at international competitions make her a unique athlete. She holds the Asian record in javelin throw, and also has World Championships silver medals in shot put and discus that she won in 2011.
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Perhaps her most adventurous step till date would be the 3,000 km journey she took from Delhi to Leh and back on a specially enabled car. The hand-controlled vehicle would take her through the Rohtang pass up until the highest motorable pass in the world, the Khardung La, at an elevation of 5,359m, according to a report by The Times of India. This record is especially remarkable when we take into account that Deepa has no control over her bladder and bowel movement and also has no control of her body beneath her chest.