4 Special Champs bring Special Name to City by Bagging Medals at World Special Olympics
Mangaluru: World Special Olympics is a global organization that serves athletes with intellectual disabilities working with hundreds of thousands of volunteers and coaches each year. Since the establishment of Special Olympics in 1968, the number of people with and without intellectual disabilities who are involved with the organization has been growing, but the unmet need to reach more people with intellectual disabilities is staggering. Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Those activities give them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship.
L-R in Pic: Prajwal Lobo, Ashley D’souza, Nizamuddin and Abhilash
And Special Schools /institutions in Mangaluru encourage their students to take part in co-curricular activities and sports- and every time these students take part in Special Olympics they fare well, and bring name and fame to their institution and town – and this time we have four differently-abled students – Ahsley D’souza and Nizamuddin, from St Agnes Special School-Bendore, Mangaluru; Prajwal Lobo and Abhilash from Saanadiya Training Centre for Mentally Challenged kids-Shakthinagar, Mangaluru.
In the World Special Olympics games -2019 held in Abu Dhabi from March 14th to 21st 2019, India had bagged 37 Gold, 42 Silver and 46 Bronze medals. Two of the special schools in Dakshina Kannada have made us proud by bagging a record of 6 Gold, 1 Silver and 5 Bronze medals in the same. Ashley D’Souza from St. Agnes Special School has secured 4 Bronze medals in the Powerlifting, and Nizamuddin from St. Ages Special School who represented India in the Unified Football team has secured 4th place in the same. Abilash and Prajwal from Saanidhya Training and Residential school for the Special Children Shakthi Nagar has secured 6 gold, 1 silver and 1 Bronze in Power lifting.
In order to celebrate this joyful event the two schools along with their parents and the coaches had organized a felicitation programme today, 25th March 2019, where the winners were taken in a open van in a procession which commenced from KSRTC Bust Stand-Bejai passing through Ballabagh, Kodialbail, K S Rao Road, GHS Road, Car Street, Kudroli, Mannagudda and culminate at Mangala Stadium. All along the route people cheered the winners who in response waved their hands and thanked them.
On reaching Mangala Stadium a small felicitation programme was held where CEO Zilla Panchayath Dr. Selvamani R honored the winners with shawl, flower garland and fruit basket, joined by Principal of st Agnes Special school Sr Maria Shruthi AC, Vasanth Kumar Shetty, the Director of Saanadiya Training Centre for Mentally Challenged kids; Narayan Sherigar the National Coach in Special Olympics Bharath and the Physical Education Instructor in St. Agnes Special school; Premnath Ullal-the trainer of the two champs in Power-lifting; Sr Maria Anita AC- Joint Secretary of St Agnes Special School; parents of the winners, relatives, and teachers.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Selvamani said, “This is indeed a proud moment for Mangaluru. We should all treat these differently-abled children equally. They too are like us, and want to enjoy the facilities like normal people. We all need to encourage and support special kids in their activities and sports- they need our love, care and encouragement. We should all be proud of these four special champs, that in spite of their disabilities they have achieved great success in their sporting activity. If any support is required from Zilla Panchayat, we will be happy to oblige”.
After a bunch of photo-session, the procession proceeded to St. Agnes Special School, where Ashley and Nizamuddin were once again felicitated during a programme amidst other school children and teachers. The programme began with a prayer by the school children, followed by welcome address by the compere Ms Veera D’mello, a teacher at the school. Ms Stella D’souza shared her experience and thoughts about her trip to Abu Dhabi, where she had escorted her son Ashley D’souza for the Special Olympics.
The winners Ashley and Nizamuddin, Coach Narayan Sherigar; Jeevan and Stella D’souza-the parents of Ashely, and brother of Nizamuddin were felicitated by chief guest Fr Anil Francis Pinto-assistant parish priest of Bendore church, joined by Sr Maria Anita AC and Sr Maria Shruthi AC. Fr Anil complimented the two champs and wished them every success in their future sporting events. On the occasion winners in the district level Bocce Tournament were also honored, namely in Boys- Rakesh S, Dhanush Adiga, Rahul Shetty, and Likith Pinto (trained by coach Narayan Sherigar); and in Girls- Anisha Pinto, Harshitha, Mayola, and Aaashni (trained by coach Sr Sonal AC).
Sr Shruthi AC- Principal of St Agnes Special School; and Vasanth Kumar Shetty, the Director of Saanadiya Training Centre for Mentally Challenged kids, said that they are really overwhelmed with the performances of their students at the World Special Olympics 2019. Team Mangalorean extends heartfelt congratulations to the four winners, and wish them luck and success in the future sports tournaments.