The world's first high-altitude para-sports center dedicated to training and grooming para-athletes in the country will be located in Leh, Ladakh and will focus on training for international competitions, including the larger goal of preparing para-athletes prepare for the 2028 Paralympic Games. To this end, a Memorandum and Understanding (MoU) was signed by the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh and the Aditya Mehta Foundation (AMF). The high-altitude para sports center will provide world-class inclusive training to para-athletes not only from India but worldwide, giving them a competitive advantage unique to high-altitude training environments and also an opportunity for Indian para-players to train alongside the champions of the game.
“It is a very proud feeling for us that Leh will be setting up the very first high-altitude para sports center in the world. Indian para-athletes have made an unmistakable mark on the world stage with 29 medals, including seven gold, that India won at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. This is a testament to the talent we have in our country.
“I am confident that this center will not only help tap the region's potential but also contribute immensely to India's journey to rank among the top 10 countries by the next Paralympic Games,” he said. lawyer Tashi Gyalson, Chief Executive Councilor (CEC) of Ladakh (LAHDC).
He added, “This center will enable these athletes to train with world-class facilities and represent Ladakh with pride on global platforms.”
As per the MOU, till the center is completed, the AMF officials will identify the Children with Special Needs (CwSN) from Leh-Ladakh UT region and they will undergo screening, counseling and training at AMF's Infinity Parasports Academy and Rehabilitation Centre, which is also Asia's first Para Sports Academy and Rehab Center in Hyderabad.
This intermediate phase will build fundamental skills and provide essential rehabilitation for aspiring athletes from the Ladakh region. 15 potential candidates from Ladakh will soon be sent to Hyderabad for training, during which screenings will be conducted at the sub-divisional level to ensure maximum participation.
To facilitate the project, the CEC announced the creation of a special committee to oversee the center's development and directed officials to begin identifying land for the facility.
List of sports to be included:
Para sports: Archery; Athletics; Badminton; Blind football; Boccia; Canoeing; Misuse; Rider; Target ball; Judo; Powerlifting; Rowing; To shoot; Volley-ball; Swimming; Table tennis, Taekwondo; Triathlon; Wheelchair basketball; Wheelchair fencing; Wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis.
Winter Games: para-alpine skiing; Para-biathlon; Para-cross-country skiing; Para ice hockey; Para snowboard and wheelchair curling.
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