Hokato Hotozhe Sema, AVSM, VSM (born 24 December 1983)[1] is an Indian para-athlete from Nagaland and a Junior Commissioned Officer in the Indian Army. He competes in men's shot put F57 event. He represented India at the 2024 Summer Paralympics at Paris and won a bronze medal in the event.[2][3][4][5][6]
Background
Sema was born in P. Vihoto in the Niuland district, Nagaland. He joined as a havildar in the Indian Army and was promoted as Naib Subedar with 9 Assam Regiment.[7] He lost his leg in 2002 during an operation at the Line of Control due to a landmine blast. At 32, he started shotput and trained under coach Rakesh Rawat.[1] A chance meeting with Lieutenant Colonel Gaurav Dutta in 2016 led him to take up shot put.[8] He is currently supported by Olympic Gold Quest, a sports NGO.
Career
Sema won the bronze medal in shotput F-56/57 category event at 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China.[9] He also won the bronze medal in shotput F-57 category at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris with a personal best throw of 14.65m.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 HOTOZHE SEMA Hokato. Retrieved 2024-09-07. (alternate link, alternate link 2)
- ↑ Nagaland's Hokato scripts history at Asian Para Games. MorungExpress. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
- ↑ Nagaland's Hokato Hotozhe Sema Qualifies For Paris Paralympic Games 2024. Northeast Today(2024-08-12). Retrieved 2024-08-14.
- ↑ India at Paris Paralympics 2024: Complete list of 84 athletes at Paralympic Games. Sportstar(2024-08-14). Retrieved 2024-08-14.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Men's Shot Put - F57 Final - Para Athletics. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
- ↑ Paralympics: Who is Hokato Hotozhe Sema, India's bronze medal winner in shot put F47 event. Indian Express(8 September 2024).
- ↑ Who is Hokato Hotozhe Sema, a landmine blast survivor armyman who won bronze in shot put at Paris Paralympics?. Indiatimes(2024-09-07). Retrieved 2024-09-07.
- ↑ From 12 medals in 48 years to 29 in Paris: how India scaled record heights in Paralympics 2024. ESPN(2024-09-12). Retrieved 2025-10-03.
- ↑ Asian Para Games: Hokato bags bronze. Retrieved 2024-08-14.