District Games to be held in Mokokchung, Mon, Wokha, Peren and Dimapur
Dimapur, March 5 (MExN): Special Olympics Nagaland (SON) is organising Khelo India for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in five disciplines – Athletics, Football, Bocce, Badminton, and Unified Sports – in various districts of the State starting March 13.
According to a press release from SON Area Director, Aren, the event will be held in five districts as per the following schedule: Mokokchung – March 13 & 14; Mon – March 13 & 14; Wokha – March 15 & 16; Peren – March 16 & 17; and Dimapur – March 19 & 20.
The outstation PwDs (from villages) participating in the District Games will have to produce original bus/taxi tickets (both ways) to get reimbursement, the release informed. This District Games will be followed by State Games in Dimapur in March third week. The selected Special athletes will then represent the State at the National Games in Gujarat in May 2018, SON added.
The release mentioned that Khelo India is one of the ardent projects of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for identification of young sports talents and promotion of sports at grassroots level. Under the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, its objective is also to revive the sports culture in India by building a strong framework for all sports played in the country and to establish India as a great sporting nation, it added.
The SON Area Director quoted Modi, “Khelo India is not only about winning medals. It is an effort to give strength to a mass movement for playing more. Here the focus is on every aspect that would make sports more popular across the nation.”
SON is a charity organisation started in year 2009 with a mission to provide holistic development to the section of community most neglected in the society through the medium of sports and games and other social inclusive programs.
“SON coaches render selfless service to PwDs without any salary/ honorarium with an objective to create maximum opportunities for upliftment of their spirit and growth in any possible areas. With 126 glorious medals from International & National competitions, SON special athletes also received the National Award from MoSJ&E, GoI,” the release added.
While acknowledging the vital role played by various NGOs as well as government bodies and churches in making SON programs a success in the past years, the press release highlighted that in most districts, due to absence or inactive NGOs for PwDs, most of the PwDs remain in closed doors and in darkness. “Reaching the unreached and unheard special people by any individuals besides the good hands of local church bodies and designated government bodies will truly bring smiles to our special people,” it stressed.
The press release further quoted Late Eunice Kenney Shriver, founder of Special Olympics International, who in 1968 conveyed, “By your presence, you send a message to every village, every city, every nation. A message of hope and a message of victory.”
