Inclusive Sports a welcome addition to Kerala School Sports games

The maiden edition of Inclusive Sports events is under way at the Kerala State School Sports meet, in Kochi.

Soorya Dutt had his congenitally-impaired right leg tightly wrapped in a case restricting his mobility. But that hardly seemed to be playing on his mind as the exuberant 11-year-old Class VI student from Dharmadom Basic UP School in Kannur roamed amid his peers on Monday, November 4.

Part of the contingent from Kannur, Soorya Dutt is among the 200-odd differently-abled students from Kannur and Kasaragod districts assembled at the St. Mary’s UP School, at Thevara in Kochi, for the Inclusive Sports edition of the Kerala State School Sports meet. He will be competing in the badminton event.

When the State sports games was redesigned along the model of Olympics for the latest edition, the State government found it only fitting to bring differently-abled students into the fold, a historical first for the event. Of the 25,000-strong participation at the State School Sports games, some 1,500 are differently-abled students – with an average of 105 participants representing each district.

“Standing throw and standing jump are my favourites. But I was told that I was good in badminton during the selection trials,” said Soorya Dutt, who seemed blissfully aloof about which his competing event is.

Vishnu M., a Class IX student with multiple disabilities from Kannur, is also set to showcase his badminton skills. “I play badminton with my mother,” he said, overcoming his speech impairment, when asked about how long he has been into the game.

Inclusive Sports is made up of seven events, including seven-a-side football, badminton, handball and athletics – split into under-14 and above-14 categories. Athletics comprises of 4X100m relay, standing throw, standing jump and 100m race. While football is restricted to boys alone, handball is reserved for girls. Except for these two events and 100m race, which will be held separately for the visually-impaired boys and girls, all other events will be mixed. Also, every event will have a general student, preferably girl, as part of the teams.

“The decision to make these children part of the State sports games is historic. This is a dream turned reality for them,” said V.V. Nisha, a special educator. Jude K.A., father of a differently-abled participant, said that the move will infuse the lives of such children with hope and help their better integration with the mainstream.