Pioneer News Service
Ranchi
In a significant step towards promoting inclusive sports, India hosted its first-ever Para Woodball competition for persons with disabilities at the Gandhinagar Football Ground on CCL premises on Kanke Road in Ranchi on Saturday, National Sports Day.
Organised jointly by Disabled Sports and Jan Utthan Samiti and the Para Woodball Federation of India, the event saw the participation of 115 sportspersons with disabilities across three categories — locomotor disability, hearing disability and intellectual disability.
Addressing the gathering as the chief guest, CCL Chief Manager (Corporate Communications and Public Relations) Alok Kumar said every section of society should be given equal opportunities to contribute to an inclusive society.
“Most of us tend to focus on the limitations of persons with disabilities rather than their abilities, thereby depriving them of equal opportunities. Their performance has proved that they are second to none and only need the right opportunities,” he said.
The competition was inaugurated jointly by Adil Hussain, Manager (Sports), CCL, and Wilfred Manik Lakra, Manager (Human Resources), CCL.
In the intellectual disability category, Rishika Kumari won the gold medal, while Aditya Mahto secured silver and Piyush Mahto bagged bronze.
In the women’s locomotor disability category, Pratima Tirkey won gold, followed by Renu Kumari and Anita Tirkey in second and third positions respectively. In the men’s category, Pramod Kumar clinched gold, Bipin Prajapati won silver and Manoj Mahto took bronze.
In the hearing disability category, Sunil Kumar Sahu emerged winner, while Rakesh Kumar and Ranjit Kumar finished second and third respectively.
The successful organisation of the competition was supported by Para Woodball Federation of India secretary Mukesh Kanchan, Jharkhand Paralympic Association president Rahul Mehta, Disabled Sports and Jan Utthan Samiti secretary Sarita Sinha, along with Vipul Sen Gupta, Pawan Lakra and other members of the organising team.
