Khelo India Para Games 2025: Glory Without Gains? Athletes Struggle Beyond The Podium

The Games aimed to elevate para athletics to the same national stage as the prestigious National Games of India, which began in 1924. A century later, India speaks of equality in sports, yet for many para athletes, the reality is far from certain. Medals are won, moments are cherished, but beyond the applause, what real support do they receive?

As the second edition of KIPG comes to a close in the national capital on March 27 evening, a sense of hollowness lingers. While some are grateful for the opportunity to compete, others question whether participation alone is enough. Many athletes from the previous edition are still waiting for the merit of their medals, underscoring the need for financial support alongside recognition.

Accessibility concerns further add to the debate. As India pushes for inclusivity in sports, the question remains, are we truly moving toward equality, or is it just an illusion of progress?

On the sidelines of KIPG, one player on anonymity from Gujarat highlighted a critical issue, stating, 바카라�Financial support is the most important thing.바카라� Speaking about her own experience, she explained, 바카라�When you get selected for big tournaments like the Paralympics, we get all the support. But for other tournaments, there is almost no support.바카라�

While she acknowledged that having athletes compete at KIPG is a positive step, she questioned its long-term impact, especially in the absence of prize money.

바카라�This is a great initiative for name and fame, but to sustain it, we need financial gain too. There is no prize money, and that will demotivate athletes in the long run because if there바카라�s no gain, how do we continue?바카라� She also highlighted the disparity in financial support between para and able-bodied athletes in her state, adding, 바카라�For KIPG, we will not get any prize money, and that is the case with many states.바카라�

She also emphasized the issue of accessibility, a key challenge for para athletes in India. A player from Gujarat shared that when competing abroad, the infrastructure is so well-designed that they rarely require assistance.

바카라�The infrastructure is such that we don바카라�t need any help to go anywhere. Here, we require assistance for everything,바카라� she said. This level of accessibility, she explained, allows athletes to feel equal and independent, while also reflecting a more inclusive mindset in society.

바카라�I feel disabled when I am here. Society바카라�s mindset makes me feel less, but in other countries, we feel equal, they don바카라�t treat us differently,바카라� she said. The athlete stressed that true equality begins with changing perspectives. 바카라�We need to bring equality in mindset first, and the rest will follow.바카라�

A 21-year-old table tennis player, Rishit Vipul Nathwani, who won gold in the men's wheelchair class 5 event for Maharashtra, shared a similar struggle, though his challenges were different. 바카라�Financial support is a distant concern. I am yet to receive reimbursement for my travel expenses from the last edition.바카라�

Recounting his experience from the previous KIPG, where he won bronze, he said, 바카라�When I went to the officials, they said how would they know if the certificate is fake or real. We got nothing.

The travel reimbursement process, he added, was equally frustrating. 바카라�First, they asked us to cancel our train tickets and take a flight instead. We did that, but they only reimbursed a one-way fare, for me, not my escort. And for the return journey, they asked us to book third AC train tickets, yet we never got the reimbursement despite submitting all the required forms.바카라�

Nathwani also highlighted logistical issues that compounded their struggles. 'The shuttle service doesn바카라�t run at different intervals, making it difficult to plan our commute. Our hotel is far, and the athletes' lounge lacks a proper resting space for wheelchair users, only sofas, which aren바카라�t suitable. I had three back-to-back matches with no place to rest. The only option is to sit on the floor like many others, but that바카라�s just not feasible.'

He further pointed out how transportation delays forced players to take on additional expenses. 바카라�In the morning, when we have matches, the shuttles arrive late. So we have to take cabs to reach the venue, another extra cost on us.바카라�

Another saddening reality of disability in India is that many people don바카라�t even recognize what should be considered normal and what shouldn바카라�t.

Some athletes were simply grateful for the opportunity to compete, to the extent that issues like accessibility were overlooked. The sight of a coach carrying a player up the stairs on their shoulders wasn바카라�t seen as a problem, because, as some athletes put it, 바카라�That바카라�s how we always do it.바카라�

Phrases like 바카라�Itna toh chalta hai바카라� (this much is manageable) and 바카라�Yeh toh normal hai, hota rehta hai바카라� (this is normal, it keeps happening) were commonly heard among participants at the IG Indoor Stadium, where the para table tennis events were being held. The lack of basic accessibility was not just an inconvenience, it was an accepted reality.

While the athletes acknowledged that having a dedicated tournament for para athletes is a significant step, providing them with a platform that previously didn바카라�t exist, they also pointed out gaps that still need to be addressed.

The Khelo India Para Games have given many athletes a stage to compete, gain recognition, and be part of a multi-disciplinary event. The Indian government supports para sports through initiatives like Khelo India and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, but at the state level, the scenario is vastly different.

For many, real support only comes after they have already made a mark on their own, leaving athletes to struggle for resources, financial aid, and sustained opportunities in the crucial early stages of their careers.

As discussions around inclusivity in sports continue, one question remains: Is glory without gain enough? The athletes look ahead to the next edition of the Khelo India Para Games with the hope of experiencing true equality, accessibility, and a genuinely level playing field in every sense.