Rakshitha Raju

Rakshitha Raju (born 15 January 2001) is an Indian runner, who is visually impaired. She takes part in the women's 1500 metres T11 category. She was selected for the Indian team that took part in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Para Games. She won the gold medal Asian Para Games behind China's Shanshan He. Later, Shanshan was disqualified and Raju was promoted to take the gold medal. She was a student of Asha Kirana Andha Makkala Shale (blind school) in Chikkamagaluru. She learnt her basics under coach and mentor Balakrishna, who is also her guide runner. Rahul was her first coach.

Career Rakshitha took part in the 1500m at the Para Athletics World Championships in July 2023. Earlier in 2021, she won a bronze medal in the 1500m event at World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2021 in Dubai after another bronze in 2019, at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix Paris where she clocked her personal best of 5.29.00 . She also won a gold medals in the 1500m and 800m events at the 2019 World Para Athletics Junior Championships, Nottwil, Switzerland.

In 2017, she was selected for the Youth Asian Games but could not travel due to passport issues. However, in 2018 she won the Gold in the 1500m event at the Asian Para Games at Jakarta.

Domestic career

In 2022, she won a gold medal in the 200m, 400m and 1500m events at the 20th National Para Athletics Championships, Odisha. In 2021 she won the Gold Medal in the 400m and 1500m events at the 19th National Para Athletics Championships, Bengaluru.