The NCAHT and R2D2 centres at Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), along with RRD, are organising ‘Thiramai ‐ Sports 4 All’, a three-day Sports Event for persons with disabilities in the campus from today (22nd Nov 2024).

The three-day event is aimed at introducing adaptive sports and games to persons with disabilities. A total of 100 persons with disabilities took part in a total of eight games being held during this event, which is from 22nd to 24th November 2024.

This pioneering initiative is being spearheaded by National Center for Assistive Health Technologies (NCAHT), IIT Madras and TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2), IIT Madras and sponsored by RRD, a multinational company.

Prof. Sathyanarayana N. Gummadi, Dean (Students), IIT Madras, inaugurated the event in the presence of Dr. Manish Anand, Event Coordinator and Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, Mr. Kaushik Sarawgi, Managing Director and Senior Vice President, RRD GO Creative^SM, and other stakeholders.

Welcoming all the participants, Prof. Sathyanarayana N. Gummadi, Dean (Students), IIT Madras, said, “The ‘Thiramai Sports 4 All’ event is uniquely positioned to provide a platform for persons with disabilities. We want even more and more people to take part in the coming years. Our goal is to highlight the importance of adaptive sports in enabling community participation and empowering individuals with disabilities to recognise their capabilities and nurture promising talent for future opportunities in adaptive sports.”

Further, Prof. Sathyanarayana N. Gummadi said, “The Institute is also implementing a number of services under its ‘Inclusive Education’ (IE) initiative to nurture Students with Disabilities (SwD). Through a dedicated Faculty Advisor for Inclusive Education, IIT Madras has created necessary structures and processes to deliver services such as SwD orientation, academic accommodations, volunteer services, and accessible learning resource provisioning. In addition, IE continually works with experts to provide assistive technologies such as hearing, visual and Mobility aids, and organize wellness activities and counselling for SwD with psychological conditions.”

IIT Madras, as part of its ‘Annaivarakum IITM’ (IIT Madras for All) initiatives, is focused on contributing to the development of the local communities. The Institute is also focused on translational research in which the work in the labs translate into a product, like assistive and rehabilitative technologies, that helps the community at large.

IIT Madras has integrated accessibility into its external and internal building architecture. The Institute has multiple access ways, lifts in high-rise hostels and in all departments, and dedicated parking for vehicles to support persons with disabilities. The institute also interacts with other organizations to enhance the awareness about the challenges faced by the SwD in higher education environment.

Elaborating on this event, Dr. Manish Anand, Event Coordinator and Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, said, “This event is a significant and continued step by R2D2 and NCAHT towards fostering inclusion and innovation in the community through the joys of sports. By bringing together individuals with different disabilities across various age groups, it promotes physical well-being and social integration, an oft overlooked aspect of rehabilitation. It serves as a powerful motivator for people to engage in physical activities in the community and look past their disabilities to a horizon of possibilities.”

Mr. Kaushik Sarawgi, Managing Director and Senior Vice President, RRD GO Creative^SM added, "Besides the physical health benefits, adaptive sports offer persons with disabilities a sense of community and a great release for their mental wellbeing. Having practice to look forward to, a team to be a part of, and supporters to cheer you on can do wonders for both mind and body. That's why RRD is working to bring para sports closer to the mainstream and attract greater interest from coaches, tech innovators, the media, and, most importantly, the athletes themselves”.

'Thiramai - Sports 4 All' includes three events over 2024-2025, with the current event being the first. The first two events will be held as a 3‐day sports camp to introduce and train primarily persons with mobility impairments in different adaptive sports. Around 100 participants with amateur or beginner experience in sports were invited to interact and engage with coaches, learn about adaptive sports devices and hone their skills.

The final event includes a carnival of sports and games to engage participants from wider groups of disabilities such as cognitive, hearing and visual, among others, together with a fun zone for children and accompanying caregivers.

The Sports Events held included:

1. Wheelchair basketball
2. Wheelchair badminton
3. Wheelchair tennis
4. Wheelchair cricket
5. Wheelchair racing
6. Table tennis
7. Throw events ‐ javelin, discus, shop put
8. Boccia

The event, 'Thiramai Sports 4 All', was an evolution of two earlier initiatives: Thiramai 2020, conceptualised by RRD, and Sports 4 All events in 2022 and 2023, organised by R2D2 and NCAHT at IIT Madras.

‘Thiramai 2020’ was a four-day event that featured three days of extensive training provided by national-level athletes to aspiring novices, followed by a one-day Finale. Nearly 100 participants from across the country came forward to put their body and spirit to the test, attempting to achieve feats they had never tried before.

The ‘Sports - 4 All’ events in 2022 and 2023 were one-day sports carnivals that gave all participants the opportunity to experience various adaptive sports and take part in adaptive sports competitions. These events had a transformative impact on the lives of approximately 700 persons with disabilities, most of whom were novice players, while also providing insight into disability and sports for around 300 members of the general public.

‘Thiramai - Sports 4 All’ was conceived to provide a platform where persons with different disabilities and all ages can pursue various adaptive sports and games in an inclusive environment. The objective was to demonstrate the possibility of playing sports despite a disability, for competition, fitness or recreation that otherwise millions are not aware of.

persons with disabilities are often excluded or overlooked due to barriers such as lack of awareness, inaccessibility, and limited information which hinders meaningful participation in society. A key objective of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals is 'Inclusion'. Sport can play a vital role in fostering inclusion, helping individuals with disabilities develop social skills, strengthen body and mind, and build self-sufficiency.

The National Center for Assistive Health Technologies at IIT Madras is an initiative of the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR). The center is designed to foster social inclusion and serves as an immersive experience center, underscoring the transformative power of assistive devices for PwDs, policymakers, rehabilitation professionals, and innovators.

The mission of TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2), IIT Madras, is to design, develop and create awareness about assistive devices for persons with locomotor disability and enable them to live fuller, more independent lives.

RRD is a global provider of marketing, packaging, print and supply chain solutions. The company delivers end-to-end solutions, effectively targeting and transforming customer touchpoints into moments of impact. Through a global network of resources, creative execution, proprietary technologies, and measurable media, RRD influences engagement across the entire customer journey.

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