Trailblazing Aditi calls time on near two-decade career
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Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Against all odds, these para athletes from Karnataka are chasing glory
Bengaluru: In a world where para sports are still fighting for equal footing, three women from Karnataka are quietly rewriting the narrative — not just with milestones and medals, but with grit, grace, and relentless hope. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now They've fallen. Been frowned upon. Told they couldn't do it. But Rakshitha Raju, Harshita Tater, and Shilpa Kanchugarkoppalu were determined to script their stories and step into the limelight instead of shying away from it. Hailing from different corners of Karnataka, these three para athletes carry the weight of struggles many will not see. For all three, the athletics track became a place of freedom. Their journeys are marked by quiet courage, unbreakable will, and a belief that they are more than the labels the world gave them. At the recently concluded Indian Open Para Athletics International Championship in Bengaluru, the trio reminded all that the human spirit — when pushed — can soar far beyond what the eye can see. Rakshitha Raju When Rakshitha lost her farmer-parents at a young age, the world seemed stacked against her. Her mother Geetha passed away when she was two years old, and eight years later, she lost her father, Raju. Raised by a deaf grandmother, Lalithamma, who works on a farm in Mudigere, the Paris Paralympian found herself navigating a childhood shadowed by social alienation and financial burden. Born blind, she recalls being mocked and written off. "They would tell me I'm a waste," the 24-year-old recalled, "But my grandmother, being disabled herself, understood me." At the age of 8, she got her first taste of running. A schoolteacher at Asha Kiran Blind School in Chikkamagaluru noticed her sprinting and encouraged her to pursue athletics. Despite the odds, the two-time Asian Games medallist clung to her passion. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Her resilience and talent eventually caught the attention of her coach and guide runner — Rahul Balakrishna — at the national championships in Delhi, and he invited her to train at the Sports Authority of India in Bengaluru. "He has been my biggest support," she said gratefully. But Rakshitha's dreams don't end on the track. Off the field, she harbours an equally ambitious goal — to crack the IAS (Indian Administrative Service) examination. "I love studying," she said. "Becoming an IAS officer is my dream. I'm not eligible for IPS because I'm blind, but IAS allows me to serve." Harshita Tater For Bengaluru girl Harshita, sport wasn't a childhood dream — it was a lifeline that emerged during the chaos of Covid-19. As a medical student helping with patient care, the T37-category athlete (those with cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that affects movement and coordination) began running to improve her lung capacity. What started as a coping mechanism quickly transformed into a calling. A year on, Harshita, who has made her mark at the national stage in 200m and 400m and is now enjoying a fine showing in long jump, made a bold decision — to leave MBBS behind to chase the finish line instead. "Letting go of medicine was tough," admitted the athlete, who suffered a brain clot after a fall as a baby. "It was my childhood dream. But running gave me something I had never felt before — a sense of purpose," said Harshita, who was spotted by coach Gurkaran Singh, who continues to train her along with Vikram Aiyappa. She switched to studying psychology, determined to one day blend sport and mental health into a meaningful career. Life as a para athlete, however, hasn't been easy. "You don't have a fixed calendar. There's no personal life." Yet, she has no regrets. What keeps her going is the small, daily satisfaction of pushing her limits and the joy of seeing her young nephew proudly running around with her medals. With her sights firmly set on the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles, Harshita is determined to break into the world's top 10. "Discipline over motivation," said the 25-year-old, whose father has an electrical business and mother is a homemaker. "That's what sport has taught me," said the confessed foodie, who is running not just for medals, but also to inspire, include, and redefine possibility. Shilpa Kanchugarkoppalu Shilpa, a para athlete from Krishnarajanagar in Mysuru district, is proof it is never too late to chase a dream. At 29, under the guidance of coach Raghavendra SG, she took her first steps into sport — on a prosthetic leg. Today, at 36, she is one of India's most promising para athletes in shot put and discus throw. A childhood accident led to the amputation of her leg, but Shilpa, daughter of a farmer, never let that stop her. Initially a Kannada teacher, she gave up her job to dedicate herself to sport. "I started playing volleyball first, but it was a team effort. In athletics, I win or lose on my own — and that gives me strength," said Shilpa, who competes in the F57 category (athletes with lower limb impairments). Shilpa trains at Sree Kanteerava Stadium under coach ED Eshan, and has won several medals at national and international events. Yet, financial challenges loom large. Coming from an economically backward background, she struggles to afford basic gear, let alone expensive equipment or artificial limbs. Despite it all, she finds joy in sport. Now preparing for the upcoming Asian Para Games, Shilpa continues to battle the odds — not just on the field, but off it too — with quiet determination and unwavering passion. All she seeks is a chance and a little support.
The Hindu
10 hours ago
- The Hindu
Win big, earn big: Delhi rolls out record rewards for medal winners
The Delhi government on Tuesday announced a policy to boost sports in the Capital, approving substantial cash rewards and government jobs for medal-winning athletes at the international and national levels. Under the newly approved 'Mukhyamantri Khel Protsahan Yojana' (Chief Minister Sports Promotion Scheme), athletes from Delhi who win medals at events such as the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games (CWG), and Paralympic tournaments will not only receive the highest cash prizes among Indian States but also be eligible for direct recruitment to government jobs in Grade A, B, or C categories, depending on the level of achievement. Delhi Sports Minister Ashish Sood, announcing the decision, said the policy is designed to promote sporting excellence, provide long-term career security to athletes, and retain home-grown talent in the city. 'Delhi now offers the highest financial recognition to medal winners,' Mr. Sood said, adding that the move was inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Khelo India' and 'Fit India' campaigns. Mr. Sood said Olympic gold and silver medallists, along with Asian Games gold winners, will qualify for Grade A posts in the Delhi government. Those securing Olympic bronze, Asian Games silver and bronze, CWG gold and silver, and gold in Paralympic and Para Asian Games will be eligible for Grade B posts. All remaining medallists from the CWG, Para CWG, and Para Asian Games will be offered Grade C roles, he added. In addition, the policy also includes financial support for training and travel. State and national-level athletes will be eligible for training support of up to ₹5 lakh, with equal coverage for medical insurance. Elite athletes may receive up to ₹20 lakh in assistance, with ₹10 lakh in health coverage. Athletes competing in events recognised by the International Olympic Committee and its affiliates will be entitled to up to ₹2 lakh to cover travel, stay, meals, and tournament registration.
NDTV
13 hours ago
- NDTV
Government Jobs For Athletes, Laptops For Toppers: Delhi Bets Big On Youth Talent
The Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday approved a new set of measures aimed at offering record cash rewards and government jobs to athletes, along with digital upgrades in government schools. The decisions were cleared at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. After the meeting, Sports and Education Minister Ashish Sood confirmed that Delhi will now offer the highest cash prizes in the country to international medal-winning athletes, with Olympic gold winners set to receive ?7 crore. "These figures make Delhi the most rewarding state in India for sportspersons," Mr Sood said in the press briefing. Cash Rewards Increased for International Athletes: Under the revised Mukhyamantri Khel Protsahan Yojana, Olympic and Paralympic gold medalists will now receive Rs 7 crore. Silver and bronze medalists will get Rs 5 crore and Rs 3 crore respectively. The government has also raised rewards for other international competitions. Gold medalists at the Asian and Para Asian Games will receive Rs 3 crore, silver Rs 2 crore, and bronze Rs 1 crore. In the Commonwealth and Para CWG categories, winners will get Rs 2 crore for gold, Rs 1.5 crore for silver, and Rs 1 crore for bronze. At the national level, medalists will receive Rs 11 lakh (gold), Rs 5 lakh (silver), and Rs 3 lakh (bronze). Athletes will also be eligible for financial support up to Rs 5 lakh for training and medical insurance of the same amount. For elite-level sportspersons, support will go up to Rs 20 lakh, with insurance coverage of Rs 10 lakh. Those competing in events recognised by the International Olympic Committee will receive up to Rs 2 lakh to cover travel, accommodation, meals, and tournament registration fees. Government Jobs Based on Medal Performance: The Cabinet also approved a policy to offer government jobs to medal-winning athletes. Athletes winning Olympic gold or silver, or Asian Games gold, will be eligible for Grade A posts in the Delhi government. Those with Olympic bronze, Asian Games silver or bronze, and CWG or Para Games gold and silver will qualify for Grade B roles. Other international medalists will be considered for Grade C positions. "This is a landmark step towards cultivating a robust sports culture in the city and empowering young athletes to dream big," said Minister Sood. "The government will closely monitor the implementation to ensure Delhi becomes a premier sporting hub." Laptops and Labs for Government School Students: In the education sector, the Cabinet cleared a Rs 50 crore project aimed at improving digital access in government schools. Starting in the 2025-26 academic year, all meritorious Class 11 students will receive free laptops. In addition, the government will roll out fully equipped computer labs in two phases, 175 labs in Phase I, followed by another 175 in Phase II during 2026-27. The focus will be on 544 schools operating across 350 buildings, many of which currently run in double shifts and lack adequate digital facilities. Each lab will be equipped with 40 desktop computers and essential digital learning tools. A monitoring unit will oversee rollout and ensure timelines are met.
