More than medals

A rising tide lifts all boats! The water levels are evidently rising in Indian sport. With the Commonwealth Games 2030 in our kitty, and the strong political narrative to host the Olympics, the spotlight is firmly on India as a “sporting nation”. Can we strike while the iron’s hot? By fast-tracking long-standing gaps in our para-sport ecosystem and addressing deficiencies in infrastructure, economic opportunity, and social support for Persons with Disabilities (PwD)?

The 2011 census reveals around 2.2% are PwD, ~26 million Indians. Recent independent surveys argue the real prevalence is much higher at ~8%. There are 21 specific categories of disability under India’s Right of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, including locomotor, visual, hearing, and speech disabilities. The introduction of the Unique ID for PwDs (ID UDID) in 2016 helps create a national database and improve access to schemes. Yet systemic gaps persist. Undercounting distorts resource allocation; public infrastructure remains largely inaccessible, and stigma continues to limit social and economic participation. 

Today, India may have over 100 million PwDs, but only a handful get the opportunity to feature in structured sport through systems like SAI NCOEs, TOPS and Khelo India grassroots programmes. The recent Union Budget 2026-27 allocated Rs 1,669.72 crore to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), a 30% increase, and Rs 500 crore has been earmarked for the sports manufacturing sector, including for research, which should be leveraged to make assisted sports devices.

Para sport itself is a relatively new entrant, introduced only in the 1960 Olympic Games. India sent her first contingent of 10 parathletes to the 1968 games. Murlikant Petkar won India’s first gold (50m freestyle) in 1972. But it was not until the early 2000s that we started seeing the Overton Window stretch and policy attention slowly embrace this minority group through disability welfare and sport-linked rehabilitation programmes. India has largely been a nation of hero worshippers; sport is no different. Parathletes Devendra Jhajharia (discus) and Rajinder Singh (powerlifting) became overnight celebrities with their wins at Athens 2004. State-sponsored cash awards, incentives and selective infrastructure support for elite success followed, though mass participation and community sport remained largely neglected. Structural momentum followed when TOPS included para-sports in 2020 and Khelo India in 2023, bringing para-athletes into a more organised ecosystem of coaching, equipment, and competition exposure. With sport being a state subject, some of the early movers were Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Mizoram. Encouragingly, the recent National Sports Policy (NSP2025) has explicitly identified PwD as a priority group. Following suit, the National Sports Governance Act 2025 provides statutory recognition and regulation of national sports bodies, including the National Paralympic Committee. Another gamechanger was the
2007 IPC classification, which groups para-athletes by their functional impact rather than their medical condition, creating a level playing field.

The results were evident. India’s Paralympic contingent grew to 54 in Tokyo 2020 and 80+ in Paris 2024. India won a record 29 medals at Paris, with Sheetal Devi, Avani Lekhara, and Sumit Antil showcasing their prowess. Yet, this success rests on a long and arduous journey paved by a few trailblazers like Joginder Singh (athletics – three medals, 1984), Deepa Malik (shotput – first woman medallist, 2016), and Mariyappan Thangavelu (high jump, 2016, 2020, 2024), the enduring torch-bearers of para sport in India.

The elite level shows glimmers of hope, but the markets and society lag on multiple fronts:

Adaptive equipment and supply chains: PwDs require customised equipment. Imported units can cost up to Rs 50 lakh, out of reach for the majority. There is scope for the markets to ride the momentum of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Vocal for Local and Viksit Bharat to scale domestic manufacturing and encourage R&D. Due to lack of awareness, rental models or para-specific e-commerce have not evolved. Funding: Financial support is critical, especially since parasport equipment/infrastructure often costs more than its able-bodied equivalents. Philanthropy/CSR can infuse the much-needed shot in the arm. Para-leagues should function alongside their mainstream leagues as is done in all quadrennial global events.
Infrastructure access: Around 70% of PwDs reside in rural India, but the few facilities available are largely urban-centric. 
Talent pipeline and coaching: Mass participation is still a pipedream. Coach certification is nonexistent. The ‘pity’ narrative and stigma that society voices continue to be a barrier, especially for girls/disadvantaged.

This is a rare opportunity to leapfrog support for PwD. Markets will respond when society leads, when we move beyond stereotypes and choose inclusion by default, not by exception.  

(The writer is the head of the Policy School, The Takshashila Institution)

(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.)