A one-day consultative meeting on the inclusion of disability sports in the Manipur State Sports Policy, held at Hotel Imphal on Thursday, called for upgraded sports infrastructure and structured support systems to enable persons with disabilities to participate and compete at all levels. The consultation was organised by the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Manipur, in collaboration with local NGOs and in consultation with the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports (YAS).
N. Praveen Singh, IAS, Secretary of YAS, said plans are underway to strengthen facilities for athletes with disabilities, including provision of specialised equipment, deployment of trained coaches and the creation of clear participation pathways from grassroots to elite competition. He identified community sports, volunteerism and mass participation as key elements for building a sustainable sports culture.
C. Dhandapani, Regional Director of the Sports Authority of India — North East Regional Centre (SAI-NERC), Imphal, described the initiative as a significant step toward a structured pathway for para athletes to progress to the Paralympic level. He underlined the need for athlete classification, talent identification, targeted coaching, sports science support, academic assistance, access to assistive devices and robust governance mechanisms.
Dhandapani added that formally including disability sports in the state policy would ensure institutional backing, operational clarity, robust monitoring and financial support. He urged Manipur to adapt national models from SAI, such as para-athlete support wings and nodal centres, and stressed the importance of mapping children with disabilities through schools, standardising classification tools and aligning infrastructure with suitable sports disciplines.
Officials from SAI outlined potential funding avenues, convergence mechanisms and partnership strategies to strengthen disability sports in the state. The programme also incorporated stakeholder inputs and an open discussion session to gather recommendations from the field.
The meeting was attended by N. Praveen Singh as chief guest; W. Birahari Singh, State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, as president; Ng. Uttam Singh, MCS, Joint Secretary, TA and Hills; M. Akshay Kumar, President of the Special Olympic Association; Mayengbam Veto Singh, MCS, Director, YAS; and C. Dhandapani, Regional Director, SAI-NERC, Imphal, as guests of honour.
Original Source: https://nenow.in/north-east-news/manipur/manipur-meet-urges-inclusion-of-disability-sports-in-policy.html
Category: Manipur,Northeast News,Top News
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Publish Date: 2026-02-13 07:59:00
