Name the Indian Paralympic high jumper who won a gold medal at the Rio 2016 Paralympics and later received the Padma Shri award in 2017.

Introduction / Context:
India achieved historic success at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, with several athletes winning medals and inspiring millions. One of the most celebrated performances came from an Indian high jumper who won gold and was later honoured with the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian awards, in 2017. This question tests your knowledge of that athlete and helps you connect achievements at the Paralympics with national recognition.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The event is high jump at the Rio 2016 Paralympics.
• The athlete is Indian and won a gold medal.
• The athlete was awarded the Padma Shri in 2017.
• The options list Devendra Jhajharia, Mariyappan Thangavelu, Narender Ranbir, and Varun Bhati.

Concept / Approach:
We need to identify which athlete matches all three conditions: Indian, Paralympic high jumper at Rio 2016, gold medallist, and recipient of Padma Shri in 2017. Mariyappan Thangavelu won gold in the men's T42 high jump at Rio 2016 and became a national hero. He was indeed awarded the Padma Shri in 2017 for his achievement. Devendra Jhajharia is a javelin thrower, Narender Ranbir is associated with other events, and Varun Bhati won a bronze medal in the same high jump event, not the gold. Therefore, Mariyappan Thangavelu is the only athlete who fits the full description.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
You may remember news photographs of Mariyappan Thangavelu proudly holding the national flag after his gold medal, and then being honoured by the government of India. Lists of Padma awardees for 2017 also mention his name. Meanwhile, Devendra Jhajharia, although a Paralympic hero in javelin, is associated with different years and events. This cross checking of event type and award year confirms the answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes mix up Paralympic achievements and confuse high jump with javelin, or gold medals with bronze medals. Another pitfall is to choose Devendra Jhajharia because he is widely known, without noticing that the question focuses on high jump. Always align the name with the exact event and medal mentioned in the question and check any extra clues such as award year.

Final Answer:
The Indian Paralympic high jumper who won gold at Rio 2016 and received the Padma Shri in 2017 is Mariyappan Thangavelu.