Ms Kunja Rajitha, a first-year B.Com. student at Paari School of Business, SRM University-AP, Amaravati, brought immense pride to the nation and the institution by clinching a Gold Medal in the Women’s 4×400m Relay at the 26th Asian Athletics Championship held at Gumi, South Korea, on Thursday.
Rajitha was part of the formidable relay team, which included Jisna Mathew, Rupal Chaudhary, and Subha Venkatesan. The team delivered a season-best time of 3:34.18s, edging past Vietnam and Srilanka in the finals. This victory marks a historic comeback for India, earning the first gold in this event since 2013, ending a 12-year wait.
Mr Anup Singh Suryavanshi, Director – Sports, SRM University-AP, congratulated her, saying, “Rajitha’s achievement is a testament to her hard work and resilience. Her performance on such a prestigious international platform inspires all student-athletes nationwide. Competing and winning at the Asian level reflects the caliber of talent we are proud to nurture at SRM University-AP.”
Prof Satish Kumar, Pro-Vice Chancellor of SRM University-AP, said, “ Rajitha’s journey reminds us that students can rise to any challenge with the right support and determination. Her dedication, perseverance, and success embody the spirit of excellence we strive to cultivate in the students here at our varsity. Her success adds to the growing legacy of SRM University-AP as a hub for emerging talent and global achievers.”
Prof Manoj K Arora, Vice Chancellor of SRM University-AP, also lauded her win, saying, ” This victory is not just a personal milestone in Rajitha’s career but also a significant achievement celebrated by all of us here who have followed and supported her progress. Her gold medal win reinforces our vision of holistic student development. We take extreme pride in her success and look forward to many more such triumphs.”
Kunja Rajitha hails from a humble and inaccessible tribal village near Kunavaram in the Alluri district of Andhra Pradesh state. Despite all odds, she continued her education while pursuing her dream and became a national-level athlete. Rajitha bagged gold in the 400-metre sprint event at the Khelo India Youth Games-2022, held in Haryana. She also secured second place in a similar event in the 2019 edition of Khelo India held in Assam. In 2018, Rajitha joined Tenvic Sports Academy in Nellore. Later, she trained under coach Mike Russell at SAA Centre of Excellence in Guntur.
Rajitha’s remarkable achievement reflects SRM University-AP’s unwavering commitment to fostering the overall development, where students are encouraged to pursue excellence in sports alongside academics on both national and international platforms.