From statecraft to court craft, bureaucrat Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj will look to serve up the goods at Paralympics    

Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj secured a berth in the Tokyo Paralympics through a bipartite invitation. The 38-year-old, ranked No.3 in the men's SL4 category, will be the first bureaucrat to represent the country at the Games. Yathiraj's journey from being an IAS officer to pursuing badminton as a para-athlete is inspiring.

Meet Suhas L. Yathiraj, India's Para ShuttlerHe was born with a congenital deformity in his leg but that didn't stop him from serving the country. He is currently the DM of Gautam Buddh Nagar and will represent 🇮🇳 at the #ParalympicsWe wish him all the best 👍 #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/iX7hY5kmeD

— Sportskeeda India (@Sportskeeda) August 22, 2021

Yathiraj's early days in badminton

Yathiraj was born in Karnataka. His father was a government servant, which meant that he had to travel for work. He was born with a congenital deformity in one le. However, he had big dreams and they never got affected because of his disability. Suhas graduated with an engineering degree in computer science in 2004 but later decided to become a bureaucrat. He joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 2007 and is currently the district magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh.

He is a self-taught badminton player and first represented the country in 2016. Yathiraj has not looked back since. He went from strength to strength to become one of the top names in his category.

Yathiraj's achievements on international stage

For GB Nagar DM Suhas LY, playing badminton is a 'spiritual' activity. He will leave for Tokyo Paralympics on August 28 and will be seen in action from September 2. #Noida #Paralympic #paralympics2020 #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/2TktgYkMlW

— Ashni Dhaor (@DhaorAshni) August 21, 2021

The 38-year-old grabbed the headlines with a gold at the Asian Championships in 2016. He also has a few BWF titles, including the Denmark and Japan Open tournaments. Among his most recent achievements was a bronze in the men's team event at the 2018 Asian Games. Yathiraj has never been afraid to take on challenges and has never allowed his disabilities to get in the way of life goals. In a recent interview with ANI, he said:

"I want to say to all the people, and especially the youth, that whatever you want to do in life, try to do that. Because sometimes we win sometimes we lose in life, but one should never back down from the effort. I want to say this to all the youth that I studied in normal school and college and I joined the civil services and now I am going to Paralympics."

Yathiraj knows how to balance work and badminton

IAS officers lead an onerous life. After working for almost 10-12 hours a day, Yathiraj returns home and turns his attention to the badminton court. His determination to be the absolute best is what keeps him going. Despite leading the district's fight against the pandemic, he has managed to find time to practice and keep himself fit for the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. The shuttler told ANI:

Suhas LY has one of the most inspiring stories among all the competitors at the Tokyo Paralympics👇Here are five facts you should definetely know about the para-shuttler#Paralympics #Tokyoparalympics2020 #TokyoParalympics #ParaBadmintonhttps://t.co/KV3B3wkzmx

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) August 21, 2021

"I love my work, so I don't get tired while working. Badminton is like a spititual exercise for me. It kind of feels like meditation. Everyone has 24 hours a day, some people do, some people make excuses for that."

At the Paralympic Games, he will be up against world-class shuttlers. However, Yathiraj has proven in the past that the stature of his opponents does not worry him. The Indian oozes confidence every time he steps on the court, because of all the hard work he has put in. In an interview with CNN-News 18, Yathiraj said:

"It is an honor to represent the country and a dream come true to participate at the Paralympics."