Sukhu sends off athletes to Special Olympics in Italy

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today gave a warm send-off to special athletes and coaches who have been selected for the Special Olympics World Winter Games being organised at Turin in Italy from March 7 to 16. He said that 24 athletes and coaches out of the 49-member Indian contingent for this prestigious event were from Himachal. These athletes would take part in various events such as skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and floor ball, he added.

Sukhu expressed hope that the contingent would perform well in the games and bring laurels to the country as well as the state. “The state government is extending all possible assistance to the budding players so that they can compete and excel in national and international sports competitions,” he said. “The state government will honour the medallists of the championships. The government has significantly enhanced the prize money for the medal winners in international events to promote sports activities among the youth so that they do not fall prey to drug abuse,” he added.

Parikshat Mehdudia, Area Director, Special Olympics Bharat Himachal Pradesh State Chapter, has been designated as the Head of Delegation. These athletes have been preparing and practising at Narkanda and Manali for the past four years. “The dedication and perseverance of our athletes have brought them this far, and we are thrilled to see them compete in an international championship. This is not just a milestone for Himachal Pradesh but also a testament to the incredible potential of our athletes with intellectual disabilities. We are optimistic about their success and hope they return with a rich medal tally,” he added.

The athletes are Shivanjali, Shalini, Shubham and Deepak (Bilaspur), Anil Kumar (Chamba), Anu, Akriti (Kangra), Giridhar (Kullu), Nirmala, Radha and Bharti (Mandi), Harshita (Shimla), Hem Chand (Sirmaur), Riya and Abhishek (Solan).