Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj

{{Short description|Indian para-badminton player (born 1983)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}

{{Use Indian English|date=January 2017}}

{{Infobox badminton player

| name = Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj

| image = Suhas L Y.jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| country = {{IND}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1983|07|02}}

| birth_place = Hassan, Karnataka, India

| residence = Gautam Buddh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India

| height = {{height|m=1.75}}

| weight = 61 kg

| years_active = 2007–present

| handedness = Right

| coach = Gaurav Khanna{{cite news |last1=शर्मा |first1=दिनेश |title=साई कोच एमएम पांडेय और गौरव खन्ना ने खोजा पैरा बैडमिंटन का नायाब हीरा सुहास एलवाई (Sai coach MM Pandey and Gaurav Khanna discovered the unique diamond Suhas LY of para badminton) |url=https://www.navodayatimes.in/news/khabre/sai-coach-mm-pandey-and-gaurav-khanna-discovered-the-unique-diamond-of-para-badminton-suhas-ly/179924/ |access-date=8 September 2021 |work=Navodaya Times |date=6 September 2021}}

| event = Men's singles SL4
Men's doubles SL3–SL4

| highest_ranking = 1 (MS 23 June 2024)
7 (MD with Umesh Vikram Kumar 24 October 2019)

| current_ranking = 1 (MS)
93 (MD with Umesh Vikram Kumar)

| date_of_current_ranking = 8 November 2022

| bwfbadminton_id = P68753

| bwfpara_id = 9D444B56-52D6-41A9-86C1-521FCD6B5BB0

| medal_templates =

{{MedalSport|Men's para-badminton}}

{{MedalCountry|{{IND}}}}

{{MedalCompetition|Paralympic Games}}

{{MedalSilver | 2020 Tokyo | Men's singles }}

{{MedalSilver | 2024 Paris | Men's singles }}

{{Medal|Competition|World Championships}}

{{Medal|Gold | 2024 Pattaya | Men's singles}}

{{MedalCompetition | Asian Para Games }}

{{MedalGold | 2022 Hangzhou | Men's singles }}

{{MedalBronze | 2018 Jakarta | Men's team }}

{{MedalCompetition|Asian Championships}}

{{Medal|Gold | 2016 Beijing | Men's singles }}

}}

Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj (born 2 July 1983) is an Indian para-badminton player and the World No. 1 in men's singles. He won the silver medals at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 games thus becoming the only Indian para-badminton player to win back to back medals at the Games.

Yathiraj is also an IAS officer of the 2007 batch of Uttar Pradesh cadre, and has served as District Magistrate of Gautam Buddha Nagar & Prayagraj. He won the gold medal at the National Para Badminton Championships in 2018. He is also an engineer who graduated from National Institute of Technology, Surathkal.{{Cite web |date=2021-08-24 |title=Suhas LY, India's First Specially-abled IAS To Represent The Country At Paralympics In Tokyo |url=https://www.indiatimes.com/trending/social-relevance/ias-suhas-ly-2020-tokyo-paralympics-para-badminton-547894.html |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=IndiaTimes |language=en-IN}} He is the only IAS officer in India to win a Paralympic medal and an Arjuna Award.{{Cite web |date=2021-11-13 |title=Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate Suhas LY receives Arjuna Award |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/noida-news/gautam-budh-nagar-district-magistrate-suhas-ly-receives-arjuna-award-101636827951395.html |access-date=2022-03-01 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}

At the 2016 Asian Para Badminton Championships,{{cite web |title=Asian Para-Badminton Championships 2016 |url=http://bwfbadminton.org/tournamentcalendar_event.aspx?id=30811 |work=Badminton World Federation |date=27 November 2016 |location=Beijing, China}}{{cite web |title=China shine at Asian Para Badminton Champs |url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/china-shine-asian-para-badminton-champs |access-date=30 December 2016 |website=www.paralympic.org |date=5 December 2016 |location=Beijing, China}} Beijing, China, he became the first Indian bureaucrat to win a professional International Badminton Championship.{{cite news |title=यशभारती मिलने पर जताई खुशी |url=http://epaper.amarujala.com/az/20161202/04.html?format=img |access-date=27 December 2016 |newspaper=Amar Ujala |date=2 December 2016 |location=Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India}}{{cite news |title=जीत और सम्मान के बाद बढ़ गया दायित्व: सुहास |url=http://epaper.amarujala.com/az/20161203/05.html?format=img |access-date=27 December 2016 |newspaper=Amar Ujala |date=3 December 2016 |location=Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India}} He won gold beating Hary Susanto of Indonesia in the finals when he was serving as District Magistrate of Azamgarh.{{cite news |title=Manoj, Yathiraj and Parul win titles |url=http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/Manoj-Yathiraj-and-Parul-win-titles/article16711037.ece |access-date=27 December 2016 |newspaper=The Hindu |date=27 November 2016 |location=Beijing, China}}https://supremo.nic.in/ERSheetHtml.aspx?OffIDErhtml=17346&PageId {{Dead link|date=August 2022}}{{cite news |title=UP IAS officer wins gold in Asian Para-Badminton Championships |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/other-sports/up-ias-officer-wins-gold-in-asian-para-badminton-championships/story-GMgaUKFRMZR0AZHjcJg1uN.html |access-date=28 December 2016 |newspaper=Hindustan Times |date=28 November 2016 |location=Beijing, China}} He came to International attention when he won gold and became first ever serving Indian bureaucrat to represent and win a medal for India at global level.{{cite news |title=IAS officer, Suhas Yathiraj wins gold in Para-Badminton Championships |url=http://www.india.com/sports/ias-officer-suhas-yathiraj-wins-gold-in-para-badminton-championships-1675922 |access-date=30 December 2016 |newspaper=www.India.com |date=29 November 2016 |location=UP, India}}{{cite news |title=आजमगढ़ के डीएम सुहास ने बीजजंग मे़ लहराया जिरंगा |url=http://epaper.amarujala.com/az/20161128/01.html?format=img |access-date=30 December 2016 |newspaper=Amar Ujala |date=28 November 2016 |location=UP, India}}

In December 2016, he became the recipient of Uttar Pradesh's highest civilian honor, the Yash Bharti,{{cite news |title=After welcome at Azamgarh, DM Suhas to receive Yash Bharti |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/After-welcome-at-Azamgarh-DM-Suhas-to-receive-Yash-Bharti/articleshow/55715225.cms |access-date=2 December 2016 |newspaper=The Times of India |date=1 December 2016 |location=UP, India}} which he received on 1 December 2016 from the erstwhile Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav. On 3 December, World Disabilities Day, he received award from the state government for his performances in para sports.{{cite news |title=गोल्ड जीतने वाले आजमगढ के कलेक्टर |url=http://www.bbc.com/hindi/sport-38584855 |access-date=12 January 2017 |newspaper=BBC |date=12 January 2017 |location=UP, India}} He also holds distinctive record for winning many awards while serving in his official capacity.{{cite news |title=Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna: MSY's Azamgarh tops UP, sixth in country |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/Pradhan-Mantri-Jan-Dhan-Yojna-MSYs-Azamgarh-tops-UP-sixth-in-country/articleshow/51936541.cms |access-date=22 December 2016 |newspaper=The Times of India |date=22 April 2016 |location=UP, India}}{{cite news |title=PMJDY: MSY's Azamgarh tops UP, sixth in country |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/PMJDY-MSYs-Azamgarh-tops-UP-sixth-in-country/articleshow/51945004.cms |access-date=22 December 2016 |newspaper=The Times of India |date=22 April 2016 |location=Varanasi, U.P., India}} He has been awarded for his performances by Governor of Uttar Pradesh for his duties related to elections, by Revenue Minister and Chairman, Board of Revenue for duties regarding revenue administration. Suhas is also supported by GoSports Foundation through the Para Champions Programme.{{Cite web |last=RS |first=Prasad |date=4 May 2020 |title=Para-shuttler Suhas Yathiraj happy fighting Covid-19 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/badminton/para-shuttler-suhas-yathiraj-happy-fighting-covid-19/articleshow/75540547.cms |access-date=2021-09-08 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}

Since his appointment in February 2023, he is serving as the Secretary and Director General of Youth Welfare and Prantiya Rakshak Dal, a department of the Government of Uttar Pradesh.{{cite news |title=Suhas L Y IAS posted as Secretary- Sports and Youth Welfare, UP |url=https://www.indianbureaucracy.com/suhas-l-y-ias-posted-as-secretary-sports-and-youth-welfare-up/ |publisher=Indian Bureaucracy |date=February 28, 2023}}