Finally, curtains drawn on games for visually impaired

Anil Datt

Ludhiana, January 15

The three-day National Games for Visually Impaired, organised by the state unit of the National Federation for Blind, concluded at Guru Nanak Stadium here today.

Over 300 participants accompanied by their guardians from across the country, including far off places such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh and Assam, took part in approximately 114 track and field events held during the games.

Swami Shankranand Bhoori Wale, Talwandi Dham, and Sarbat Da Bhala Charitable Trust, an NGO, extended material assistance in organising the games.

They arranged meals and track suits for the visiting participants while boarding and lodging arrangements were made by the Vocational Rehabilitation and Training Centre (VRTC) for Blind under the supervision of Sara Johnson and Ravinderan, director and deputy director, respectively, of the facility.

The district administration made transportation arrangements whereas the Punjab Sports Department allowed the organisers to use the stadium free of cost, besides deputing its coaches and other staff to assist them in conducting the games.

All visitors expressed satisfaction over arrangements made for them during their stay in the city. “We will remember the hospitality of the organisers and miss it while back at home,” said players from Delhi and Assam.

Ravneet Singh Bittu, Member of Parliament (MP) from Ludhiana, was the chief guest on the concluding day of the games. Speaking on this occasion, Bittu said he was emotionally moved to watch young boys and girls vying for honours despite their limitations.

Amrik Singh Dhillon, MLA from Samrala constituency, Ludhiana district, was guest of honour on the occasion.

Gurpreet Singh Chahal, chief organiser of these games, thanked guests for visiting the stadium to encourage special athletes.

Bittu spent some time with Inderjit, vice-president of the National Federation for the Blind. The MP got the first hand knowledge about these games from Inderjit and also assured him to take their cause with the authorities concerned at an appropriate platform so that special athletes do not feel neglected at any stage of their lives. The MP was also apprised about achievements of physically challenged players from Ludhiana, who had brought fame to the state during different Para-Olympics and other international competitions.

Final day results (Women)

• 100 m race (B-I): 1st Kusum Lata of VRTC, Ludhiana, 2nd Amandeep Kaur of VRTC, Ludhiana and 3rd Naina Patankar of Maharashtra.
• 800 m race: 1st Nazia of VRTC, Ludhiana, 2nd Bharti of Jaipur and 3rd Lailta of Jaipur.
• Shot put: 1st Swathi Chawan of Maharashtra, 2nd Neha Verma of NBF, Punjab and 3rd Neha Nalin Pawaskar of AISHA (Maharashtra).
• Shot put (B-II): 1st Anju of People Acation for Chande and Empowerment, Delhi, 2nd Sunita Kaur of VRTC, Ludhiana and 3rd Yogita Shital Borgave of Centre for Handicapped, Kohlapur (Maharashtra).
• 1,500 m race (B-I): 1st Keerti Jandil of Jaipur, 2nd Jashanpreet Kaur of Chandigarh and 3rd Usha of Chandigarh.
• Long jump: 1st Rimpi Bordoloi of NFB, North East Development Centre, Assam and 3rd Nisha of Hellen Kellar Blind School, Sirsa.
• Girls (B-II): 800 m race- 1st Radhika Kumari of Chandigarh, 2nd Kusum Bhatia of Chandigarh and Gursimar Kaur of VRTC, Ludhiana.
• Long jump: 1st Tara Patwa of NIEPVD, Dehradun, 2nd Sonmoni Saikia of NFB North East Development Centre, Assam and 3rd Ranjina Begum of NBF, Assam.

Final day results (Men)

• 800 m race (B-I): 1st Sanjay Kumar of Delhi, 2nd Maruti Kumar of Delhi and 3rd Gurjot Singh of Chandigarh.
• 100 m race: 1st Gurveer Singh of NFB, Punjab, 2nd Anshu Saini of Delhi, and 3rd Bhanu Singh of Kolkata.
• 1,500 m race: 1st Sanjay Kumar of Delhi, 2nd Maruti Kumar of Delhi and 3rd Gurjot Singh of Chandigarh.
• 100 m race (B-II): 1st Bhaskar K of Mysore, 2nd Pawan Kumar of Delhi and 3rd Paras Bhatia of Divya Jyoti, Delhi.
• 1,500 m race: 1st Ajay of Chandigarh, 2nd Bhawani Sharma of Rajasthan and 3rd Amba Lal of Rajasthan.
• 100 m race (B-III): 1st Sunil Suthar of Rajasthan, 2nd Javed Z Makandar of Maharashtra and 3rd Arun Kumar of Delhi.
• Shot put: 1st Subramani of NFB, Mysore, 2nd Pradeep Singh of NFB, Jodhpur and 3rd Tripatpal Singh of NFB, Punjab.
• 1,500 m race: 1st Mohd Amzad Hossain of Tripura, 2nd Neeraj Chouhan of NIVH, Dehradun and 3rd Virender Singh of Himachal Pradesh.