top of page

By:

Bhalchandra Chorghade

11 August 2025 at 7:24:18 pm

Para-athletes Deserve More Than Applause

While applause celebrates champions, sustained investment gives every para-athlete a fair chance to succeed. As the Asian Para Games begin on October 18, the spotlight will once again turn to athletes who have overcome formidable challenges to compete at the highest level. Their performances will inspire millions. Every medal will be celebrated as a testament to courage, discipline and determination. But beyond the podium celebrations lies a question that deserves equal attention. Are India’s...

Para-athletes Deserve More Than Applause

While applause celebrates champions, sustained investment gives every para-athlete a fair chance to succeed. As the Asian Para Games begin on October 18, the spotlight will once again turn to athletes who have overcome formidable challenges to compete at the highest level. Their performances will inspire millions. Every medal will be celebrated as a testament to courage, discipline and determination. But beyond the podium celebrations lies a question that deserves equal attention. Are India’s para-athletes receiving the training, facilities, sponsorship and financial security they need to succeed on the international stage? For many para-athletes, winning a medal is only one part of the struggle. Accessing suitable training facilities and securing specialised equipment can be equally challenging. The cost of rehabilitation and the need for adequate financial support add to these demands. Their determination is unquestionable. What needs closer examination is whether the sporting ecosystem is doing enough to support their success. Testing the Support System The Asian Para Games are more than a sporting spectacle. They offer an opportunity to assess how effectively India identifies, trains and supports athletes with disabilities. Medal tallies provide a measure of competitive performance. However, the broader test lies in whether athletes have access to professional coaching, sports science, physiotherapy, nutrition and psychological support throughout their careers. These are essential elements of an effective sporting system. Para-sport requires specialised preparation, with each discipline presenting its own demands. Wheelchair racers, para-swimmers, para-shuttlers and athletes competing in throwing events all have distinct training requirements. Access to coaches trained in para-sports and appropriate sport-specific equipment can make a decisive difference to performance. However, opportunities remain uneven, particularly for athletes who train outside established centres. Infrastructure remains another concern. A sports complex cannot be considered inclusive simply because it has a ramp at the entrance. Athletes also need accessible changing rooms, toilets and accommodation. Transport and pathways connecting different training areas must be accessible as well. Specialised equipment, such as racing wheelchairs and sport-specific prostheses, presents another challenge. These can be expensive to procure, customise and maintain, adding to the costs of training and competition. Beyond Medal Rewards Financial support is equally important for para-athletes. While prominent athletes may attract corporate sponsorship, many emerging competitors struggle to meet the costs of training, travel, equipment and participation in competitions. These expenses can place a considerable burden on athletes seeking to progress in their chosen disciplines. Sponsors often gravitate towards sports with greater commercial visibility. As a result, athletes competing in less-publicised disciplines may have access to fewer resources. Corporate India needs to move beyond one-time rewards given after medal victories. Multi-year sponsorships, equipment partnerships and scholarships can offer more consistent support. Investing in junior athletes is equally important to help them develop their skills and progress in their careers. Such measures can provide the stability needed to compete at the international level. Government assistance also has a vital role to play. Timely grants, transparent selection criteria and adequate insurance coverage are essential to ensure athletes receive the support they need. The Games should prompt sports federations and policymakers to examine whether talent is being lost because of financial constraints, inadequate facilities or limited access to coaching. Schools and colleges, too, must create pathways for children with disabilities to enter organised sport. India’s para-athletes do not need sympathy in place of opportunity. They need professional training, accessible infrastructure, reliable funding and a fair chance to compete. The real measure of an inclusive sporting nation is not how loudly it applauds a champion, but how well it supports the athlete who has yet to win a medal. As the Asian Para Games unfold from October 18, every Indian medal deserves celebration. But the commitment to these athletes must continue long after the closing ceremony. Applause recognises achievement; sustained investment makes it possible.

Caste-based Census Sparks Nationwide Debate

Writer: Darshan Solanki
Darshan Solanki
Oct 2, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Oct 22, 2024

Caste-based Census

Caste-based identities continue to dominate rural India, directly or indirectly shaping electoral outcomes. Many major elections are influenced by specific caste groups. After the Bihar government released the first phase of its caste-based socio-economic survey, the caste census became a hot topic. The results, backed by evidence, showed improvements in the living standards and social status of marginalised communities, both in cities and villages. With parties like the JDU and NCP backing a caste census, there is growing momentum for the government to conduct one. However, every story has two sides—joy and sorrow. Even Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, raised concerns about the caste census.

Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of being “anti-Bahujan.” The clear meaning is that his father and forefather refused to execute a caste-based census, which might have far-reaching effects and even permanently fracture India’s social fabric. This may be negative for caste-based beneficiaries. The last caste census in India was conducted in 1931 by the British government. Those times were different from the present scenario. The data was made public and became the basis for the Mandal Commission Reports and reservation policies for Other Backward Classes. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has clarified that the caste-based population count data will not be used for core politics. But the agenda for politics is always twisted and expanded.

The Central Government also joined the legal debate by filing an affidavit with the Supreme Court, leaving the matter unresolved. India’s partition, rooted in the divide-and-rule strategy, is frequently cited as a cautionary tale. Including caste in official census data could further deepen social divides. This issue has become a political pressure point, with various states pushing the Centre for action. Although the Constitution uses the term “class” instead of “caste,” the Supreme Court has consistently ruled that caste is a relevant, and at times, sole or dominant criterion for defining a backward class.

After the release of caste-based census data in Bihar, discussions around conducting similar censuses have gained momentum in states like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand. Karnataka, which has already conducted its own caste census, may release its data soon as well.

Notably, all these states are governed by anti-BJP parties. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also announced that Congress-ruled states have committed to carrying out caste censuses. Meanwhile, the BJP has remained silent on the matter, creating a significant roadblock.

Caste-based censuses focus on proportional representation in areas like jobs and education, with the argument that this will aid in targeted planning for the disadvantaged. However, the situation remains unclear, much like a foggy winter morning. The BJP’s stance on caste-based censuses and reservations seems different, as they fear the caste-based calculations could fragment their traditional Hindu voter base—an underlying concern for the party.

Professor Sanjay Kumar from The Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, says, “Let alone the BJP; no party can openly oppose it; it is not free from danger. BJP gets a large number of votes from the OBC community, their population across the country would be around 52%. Another downside is that the caste-based censuses could disrupt the balance of socio-economic zones. Data theft is a common issue in government systems, and people may feel disconnected from their actual rights.

The moot question is that if the financial status of an ST/SC/OBC or Dalit citizen moves up by a few notches, will his social status change automatically? The lifestyle of any class will only change when the income of a particular class is changed. The actual source of income is employment. The reality is that only metro cities have enough place and space for workers. Aside from the GIDC and IT sectors, less than 30% of industries have their own designated vacancy periods. After a decade, the Jamnagar and Rajkot Corporations have opened their doors to newcomers alongside experienced staff. However, age and caste bias often operate behind the scenes. It’s important to recognise that poverty is also widespread among many upper-caste individuals, and their needs cannot be overlooked. In the overall interests of the nation, terms like SC/ST/OBC, Dalits, etc. must be deleted from the nation’s vocabulary. Every citizen should have only one classification, that of being an ‘Indian’, in the spirit of the constitution.

Last year, when the Bihar government decided to conduct a caste survey in the state, the BJP was also Nitish Kumar’s partner in the state government, and it supported it. Political expert and former professor of Tata Institute of Social Science, Pushpendra Kumar, says, “It is not that the BJP does not talk about caste. It tries to reveal the caste of the Prime Minister as well. For caste politics, the BJP also tried hard to raise the issue of Pasmanda Muslims.”

(The writer is a management professional based in Ahmedabad. Views personal.)

Comments

bottom of page