New Delhi: As part of World Autism Awareness Month, India
Autism Center (IAC), a leading not-for-profit organization supporting
individuals with autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions, hosted the ‘Sports
for All: Building an Equitable Sporting Ecosystem for All’ initiative,
in collaboration with The Quantum Hub, Special Olympics Bharat and The
Accessibility Coalition, which brought together policymakers,
practitioners, para and special athletes, and inclusion advocates to drive
conversations around equitable access and participation in sports. The
initiative reinforces IAC’s commitment to fostering inclusive opportunities
while advancing its long-term vision of Samaavesh - a sustainable,
community-based India’s largest residential ecosystem for lifelong care and
support. The programme featured felicitation
ceremony honouring young neurodiverse athletes, led by Dr. Mallika Nadda, President, Special Olympics Bharat,
Smt. Geeta Mandaviya, Patron Member, Special Olympics Gujarat, along with Mr. Jaishankar Natarajan, Director and Chief Executive Officer, India Autism Center, Ms. Sakhi
Singhi, Governing Body Member, Head of Communications, Partnerships,
Fundraising and Talent Acquisition, India
Autism Center, and Mr. Rohit Kumar, Founding Partner, The Quantum Hub.
It also included a multi-stakeholder panel discussion on ‘Building an
Equitable Sporting Ecosystem: Bridging Training, CSR, and Policy’,
moderated by Nipun Malhotra, Chief Executive
Officer, Nipman Foundation & Director
– Disability and Inclusion at The Quantum Hub.
At its core, the initiative reflects a larger vision
to embed inclusion within everyday ecosystems such as sports creating
structured pathways that go beyond participation to enable skill-building,
confidence, and long-term development for neurodiverse individuals.
The Felicitation ceremony
recognized the outstanding achievements of 4 young neurodivergent swimmers, Meka Sri Ashvath (age: 11), Gunturu Lav (age: 9), Gunturu Kush (age: 9),
and Thanvesh Navin (age: 10) for completing a 60 km open water relay swim across
the Palk Strait, from Dhanushkodi, in Tamilnadu to Talaimannar, in
Srilanka, and back - within an extraordinary span of only 18 hours. Trained by
the coaches of Yadhavi Sports Academy for Special Needs, by their Head
Coach - Sathish Siavkumar, these
athletes began swimming at an early age and have steadily progressed from pool
training to competitive open-water events, including the 5 km ‘Samudra Veer’
Porbandar Swimathon 2026, where they competed alongside significantly older
participants. Their journeys reflect exceptional discipline, endurance, and
determination, with many emerging among the youngest achievers at the national
level. As they conclude this extraordinary 60 kms
expedition, they continue to undergo rigorous ocean-training, further
strengthening their capabilities on an international stage.
Beyond the felicitation, the summit convened a
multi-stakeholder panel discussion, moderated by Nipun Malhotra,
featuring Sonali Philip (Director of Operations, People & Culture,
GoSports), Suvarna Raj (Managing Director, Sugamya Accessibility &
Inclusion), Damini Ghosh (Lead, Disability & Inclusion Access, Vidhi
Centre for Legal Policy), and Aditya KV (Founder & CEO, Umoya
Sports), to explore pathways for systemic change, accessibility, and inclusive
participation in sports. Discussions underscored the importance of “sports for
all” and the need for structural policy reforms, while also focusing on
strengthening training pathways, leveraging inclusion, improving accessibility
standards, and fostering collaboration between policymakers, organisations, and
the sports ecosystem. The programme also featured a lightning talk moderated by Sakhi Singhi, offering first-hand perspectives from the coaches of Yadhavi and the parents of the Swimmers.
About the initiative, Mr. Jaishankar Natarajan, CEO and Director, India Autism Center,
shared, “Sports have the power to transform lives by
nurturing confidence, resilience, discipline, and a deep sense of belonging.
The young athletes felicitated today stand as a powerful reminder of what
becomes possible when individuals are met with the right opportunities,
encouragement, and support systems. Their journey, perseverance, and
achievements did challenge and redefine conventional perceptions of ability and
potential.”
Dr. Mallika Nadda, President, Special Olympics Bharat,
said, “Building a more inclusive sporting culture demands collective effort
from institutions, policymakers, educators, and communities. Initiatives like
these are important in driving that conversation forward - bringing together
diverse voices to reflect on accessibility, training, representation, and the
pathways needed to create more inclusive sporting ecosystems.”
Nipun Malhotra, CEO, Nipman Foundation & Director – Disability and Inclusion at The
Quantum Hub, said, “Building an equitable sporting ecosystem requires
intentional collaboration across policy, infrastructure, and community
engagement. Initiatives like ‘Sports for All’ play a critical role in bridging
these gaps by aligning stakeholders and creating pathways that are not only
inclusive but also sustainable. The focus must now shift from isolated efforts
to systemic integration, ensuring that accessibility and inclusion are embedded
into the very design of India’s sporting landscape.”
Through strategic partnerships, IAC is driving
systemic change by advancing accessibility, nurturing talent, and embedding
inclusion in mainstream sports building an ecosystem that recognises ability
and removes barriers to participation.