Arokia Rajiv

Background

Rajiv was born on May 22, 1991, in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, to a poor family.

Career

His father Y. Soundararajan works as a school van driver. Rajiv studied at the Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Lalgudi, and Saint Joseph"s College, Tiruchirappalli. Rajiv began his career as a long jumper before taking to 400 metres.

Achievements

• At the 2014 Asian Games, he won the bronze medal, clocking 45.92 seconds in the final. In the process, he bettered his previous best of 46.13 seconds, which he had achieved at the National Inter-State Championships in Lucknow in June 2014.