India's Wheelchair Basketball team seeks crowdfunding to go for first-ever international tournament

Last month, the Paralympics were held in Rio, where USA dominated both the men's and women's wheelchair basketball tournaments to win gold medals in each competition. The tournament showcased the best of wheelchair basketball talent in the world and the growing attention to the sport. Back home in India, however, the growth of the game still lags far behind international standards.

This year, the Wheelchair Basketball Federation of India (WBFI) is hoping to change that, and they are seeking YOUR help!

For the first time, the WBFI, which is a member of International Wheelchair Basketball Federation, has made concrete plans to send an Indian Under-23 Wheelchair Basketball Team to the Asia Oceanic Zonal Championship in an effort to make it to world level. This championship will take place in Bangkok (Thailand) in January 2017. It is the qualifying tournament for the World Under-23 Basketball Championship for persons with disability in Canada.

Short of funds, the WBFI has turned to crowdfunding to raise money to support an U23 Men's Indian Wheelchair Basketball team to Thailand in January. To reach their financial goal of Rs.4,912,500, they first started a campaign on Milaap.org, but were only able to collect Rs. 11,000 before the campaign closed. But now, with the help of a certain legendary Indian athlete, the WBFI's hopes to garner more attention for this project has been rekindled.

With the support of Padma Shri winner Milkha Singh, one of India's greatest-ever athletes, the WBFI have now set up a new campaign page for crowdfunding on FuelADream.com. At the time of writing, they had raised Rs. 1,53,500 and were about 51 days away in their campaign. This is still only 10 percent of their financial goal, so any funding that they receive will help in getting our team to Thailand for this first-of-its-kind opportunity.

The WBFI recently released this video explaining their campaign, featuring Milkha Singh and WBFI President Madhavi Latha.



At the Paralympics, nineteen Indian athletes took part, collecting four medals in Brazil. But all the athletes took part in indvidual sports. It's high that that differently-abled athletes also have the opportunity to pursue their athletic dreams from India. The WBFI initiative is promising: instead of waiting for support from any Ministry, they are reaching out to the people in making their dreams come true. If the Indian team finishes in the Top 3 at the Asia Oceania Championship, they will make it to World Championship in Canada in June 2017. Hopefully, this can be start of a positive trend and the Indian wheelchair basketball team can make some waves internationally.

Check out the WBFI campaign and crowdfunding page here, which also features the full list of probables from India for the U23 tournament in Thailand.

India's 2nd National Wheelchair Basketball Championship to tip-off in Delhi on December 2

The Wheelchair Basketball Federation of India (WBFI) is set to hold its 2nd National Wheelchair Basketball Championship in New Delhi from December 2-6 at Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex. The WBFI is organizing the championship in partnership with the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the Government of India and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The championship will coincide with the International Day for Persons with Disabilities on December 3.

The WBFI are the governing and overseeing body of wheelchair basketball in India. Last year, they held several basketball workshops around the country and the first national wheelchair basketball tournament in Chennai, which was won by Maharashtra.

Both Men and Women's teams will participate in the tournament; the men's championship will feature nine state teams, while in the women's section, two teams from mixed states will play against each other. Additionally, an exhibition match for children wheelchair basketball players will be held as well.

Participating Men's teams for 2nd National Wheelchair Basketball Championship: Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh.

The opening ceremony will be held on December 2nd 2015, at 11 am, starting with an exhibition match by children from the Amar Jyoti Charitable Trust. Several dignitaries from the Government, Corporates and NGOs will grace the opening and closing ceremony as well as witness the championship prosper.

The WBFI hopes to send an Indian Wheelchair Basketball Team to the 2020 Tokyo Summer Paralympics, as well as prepare Indian Wheelchair Basketball for more international tournaments.

WBFI to hold Wheelchair Basketball workshops and national tournament in India this month

Basketball has its benefits: physical fitness, competitive spirit, social interaction, teamwork, and a sharpening of the mental senses are just some of them. And there's no reason why our favourite sport in the world and its benefits should be limited just to able-bodied individuals. The Wheelchair Basketball Federation of India (WBFI) is looking to bring the joy of the game to disabled individuals this month with wheelchair basketball and boccia workshops across five different cities over the course of two weeks - starting on December 5 - before a national tournament in Chennai on December 20.

The WBFI are conducting the workshops in collaboration with Choice International, the International Red Cross, and other partners.

The workshops are free of cost and are being conducted by international coaches from around the world, including Mark Walker (Australia), Jess (USA), Mike (Nepal), Manoj Soma (UK) and Aram Voerman (Netherlands). Former Captain of the Indian National Basketball Team and Asian All-Star Jayasankar Menon is also extending his support to the initiative.

The workshops were inaugurated at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi December 5. The Chairman of the ISIC, Maj. HPS Ahluwalia was present at the inauguration and said, “While Wheelchair Basketball is one of the leading international paralympic sports, it is hardly played in our country. We need to promote the sport not only to create professional sportspersons but also for rehabilitating people with disability.”

The workshops aim to increase awareness on the positive impact of disability sports, specifically Wheelchair Basketball and Boccia, among disabled persons in India. The workshops specifically target the disabled persons, coaches, community leaders, referees, physiotherapists interested in disability sports. The organizers seek to use disability sports as a tool to promote equality and access to disabled persons and also, to develop and train disabled sports-persons to enable them to compete at national and international disability sports tournaments.

The workshops will cover various areas on Wheelchair Basketball such as the fundamentals (basic basketball skills with an introduction to the rules of the game), contact, stretching, basic chair skills, ball-handling and passing.

The workshops will be rounded off by a mini-tournament in Chennai on December 20 with the best wheelchair basketball players selected from the workshops competing against each other.

Programme Schedule

• Delhi: Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) - December 5-10.
  
• Delhi: Amar Jyoti Charitable Trust - December 8-9.
  
• Cochin: Mar Athanasius College of Engineering - December 12-13.
  
• Pune: Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre - December 12-13.
  
• Bengaluru: Sri Kantaveera Indoor Stadium - December 14-15.
  
• Chennai: Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium - December 15-23.
  

Those who want to get involved in the project can contact the WBFI through their website, wbfi.org.in or the contact information on the flyer attached to this post.

India’s National Coach Kenny Natt encourages young wheelchair basketball players

It was a memorable union between basketball, goodwill, and fun at the Amar Jyoti Research & Rehabilitation Center in New Delhi on Saturday morning where India’s Senior Men’s Basketball team head coach Kenny Natt attended a clinic with primary school wheelchair basketball players. To raise awareness about athletes with disabilities, the National Trust hosted a Wheelchair Sports Event on November 25-26, 2011. As part of this event, American non-profit organisation Wheelchair Athletes Worldwide (WAW) donated seven sports wheelchairs to Amar Jyoti and conducted basketball clinics.

The initiative was part of 'Badhte Kadam', which is an awareness-raising campaign by the National Trust aiming to create opportunities and participation in the community of People with Disabilities. Amar Jyoti, the venue for this event, is an inclusive school where students with and without disabilities learn together.

Representing the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), Natt was welcomed at the event by representatives from WAW and accomplished wheelchair athletes Peter Hughes and Greg Hockensmith. This was WAW’s first donation: Unlike regular wheelchairs – which are used by disabled youngsters at Amar Jyoti when they play basketball – the sports wheelchairs allow for better mobility and efficiency when taking parts in sports such as basketball and rugby.

The American coach Natt is an accomplished name in basketball, as he has had stints as a player and a coach with America’s National Basketball Association. On Saturday, though, Natt took the role of student for a change as he was given tips on the rules and regulations of wheelchair basketball by experienced wheelchair athletes at the event. Hughes and Hockensmith then conducted short drills with several physically disabled under-14 students at Amar Jyoti to help them understand appropriate use of the sports wheelchairs.

The children, WAW athletes, and coach Natt then competed in a friendly wheelchair basketball game, as students from nearby schools gathered to watch and encourage the young hoopsters.

“I have played basketball at every level in my life, but this was completely new and different to me,” said Natt, “I had a lot of fun today: it takes a lot of hard work and practice to be an accomplished wheelchair basketball player. I’m sure I’ll be back here again!”

“Sport is great in several ways: it gives us an opportunity to compete and also to achieve together as a team,” Natt further encouraged the youngsters, “With sports, there is no limit to what you can accomplish, as long as you give in your hard work, your commitment, and practice. I encourage the young players here to focus on improving the weaker aspects of their game so that they can become better basketball players.”

“I’m honoured to be here, and I also commend Wheelchair Athletes Worldwide for their donation to the children.”

Wheelchair Basketball Showcase as part of ‘Badhte Kadam’ in Delhi

To raise awareness about athletes with disabilities, the National Trust will be hosting a Wheelchair Sports Event at the Amar Jyoti Research and Rehabilitation Center in New Delhi on November 25-26, 2011. As part of this event, American non-profit organisation Wheelchair Athletes Worldwide will be donating sports wheelchairs to Amar Jyoti and conducting basketball clinics.

The initiative is part of 'Badhte Kadam', which is an awareness raising campaign by the National Trust aiming to create opportunities and participation in the community of People with Disabilities. This is the third year of this campaign.

On Saturday, members of Wheelchair Athletes Worldwide will make their first donation of sports wheelchairs to the Amar Jyoti School. Unlike regular wheelchairs – which are used by disabled youngsters when they play basketball regularly – the sports wheelchairs allow for better mobility and efficiency when taking parts in sports such as basketball and rugby.

Wheelchair Athletes Worldwide will also hold an interactive clinic and demonstration on the use of the sports wheelchairs with the students and coaches of Amar Jyoti and from other schools. A wheelchair basketball game featuring disabled and non-disabled basketball players will be held at the end of the event.

India’s Senior National Men’s Basketball team’s Head Coach Kenny Natt is also looking forward to attending the function on Saturday morning to watch the demonstration and also to encourage the kids attending the event.

No luck for Indian Paraplegic Basketball Team at the Asian Para Games

Now that the Asian Games are over, Guangzhou (China) is now hosting the first ever 2010 Asian Para Games, which will be held from December 12-19. A sports event for Asian athletes with disability, 19 different sporting events will be held at these Games, including Wheelchair Basketball.

But unfortunately for the team hoping to represent India's Wheelchair Basketball team, there will be no opportunity for them to show their skills at this event. India has a seven-member basketball team from the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre which has been practicing for this event for the past six months, but have been told that the Union Sports Ministry has no funds to sponsor them to China.

This is from an enlightening article written by Pranav Kulkarni for Indian Express:

“We were hoping against hope that the government would sponsor us, but a week ago, the Ministry conveyed to us that it has no money to ensure our participation and that it was too late to do anything,” said team captain Anthony Pereira.

The rehabilitation centre officials had been writing to the Sports Ministry for months, but received no response. Director Dr (Lt Col) SP Jyoti said, “Till 2006, it was the Indian Army that was funding us, but this year the Union Government has funded all teams, except this team. I fail to understand why.”
The team members — Pereira, V Nadar, TR Kulkarni, Prem Singh, CY Reddy, KN Reddy, K Shyamal Raju — had all become paraplegics during their service with the Indian Army. They have represented the country at various national-level wheelchair basketball tournaments and over four FESPIC games, including Busan in 2002 and Malaysia in 2006

Go to indianexpress.com to check out the rest of this amazing story.

This is pretty depressing news. If you check out their quotes from the rest of the story, you will see that the Indian Wheelchair Basketball players are obviously very passionate about the sport and about competing. They have been playing together for a few years, and this was a big stage for them to showcase their skills.