Tamil Nadu's Para-Athletes: A Journey from Adversity to Achievement
A decade ago, Matilda Fonseca, a wheelchair basketball player and powerlifter from Madurai, struggled to find sponsors for tournament travel, highlighting the dire conditions for para-athletes. "With no cash prizes, we had to take up jobs and find sponsors ourselves," she recalls. Today, Matilda coaches over 10 women wheelchair basketball players in Chennai, noting, "The numbers are growing, which is a good sign." This shift reflects broader changes driven by government support.
Government Initiatives Boosting Para-Sports
The Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) has made significant strides, with nearly one in ten beneficiaries under its schemes being para-athletes. A key development is the approval of a ₹9.9 crore paralympic multi-sports complex in Coimbatore, spanning 42,764 square feet. This facility will feature:
- Indoor courts for wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, boccia, badminton, and table tennis
- A multi-gym, yoga room, and first aid medical unit
- Accessible locker rooms with tactile guiding tiles from entrance to ramp
Across Tamil Nadu, SDAT has established courts and halls for para badminton, sitting volleyball, boccia, para judo, and para weightlifting. Ranjith Kumar, a Dhyanchand Awardee and coach for over 100 para-athletes in Madurai, emphasizes the impact: "Basic infrastructure such as accessible changing rooms and restrooms were missing earlier. Now, athletes can focus entirely on training without worrying about all this."
Expanding Opportunities and Challenges
Tamil Nadu has set up hostels in Chennai and Madurai, accommodating 25 full-time para-athletes, with five securing employment under the state's 3% sports quota. Ranjith, a polio survivor, tailors coaching to individual abilities, focusing on upper-body strength for wheelchair-bound athletes and varied events for others. Vijayasarathy G, a para-weightlifting coach in Chennai, observes growing participation from rural areas like Erode and Tiruvannamalai, with para-athlete representation from all 38 districts in state meets.
However, challenges persist. Selvamani L, a para-athlete from Sivaganga, points out infrastructure gaps in districts like Tuticorin and Kanyakumari, a shortage of coaches, and the need for specialist doctors for physical and mental health support. SDAT member secretary Meghanatha Reddy notes Tamil Nadu won 47 medals at the 2025 National Para Athletics Championships and is considering structured mental health support.
Medal Wins and Personal Transformations
In the past three years, 8,727 para-athletes received cash awards from SDAT. Recent achievements include:
- Paralympics 2024, Paris: 4 medals
- Para Asian Games 2022, Hangzhou: 15 medals
- BWF Para Badminton World Championships 2024: 7 medals
- Khelo India Para Games 2023: 42 medals
- National Para Athletics Championships 2024 and 2025: 34 and 47 medals respectively
Sport has profoundly impacted lives. S Prasanth, a discus thrower with cerebral palsy, trains seven hours daily and says, "Before I got into sports, I wouldn't even step out alone. Now, I am recognised as an athlete." Sonai M, a javelin thrower, finds motivation training with fellow para-athletes, while Sandhya V, a para badminton player aiming for the 2028 Paralympics, credits family support for her success and plans to start an academy.
These stories underscore Tamil Nadu's evolving landscape for para-athletes, blending government action with personal resilience to foster inclusion and excellence in sports.
