Sports

Visually challenged win appreciation

The sheer confidence with which Sudalai Mani hit the ball left, Commissioner of Police R. Sekar was surprised. The visually challenged boy from Madurai Indian Association for the Blind, besides stealing the show, also bagged the best player award at the 6th South India Adapted Volleyball Tournament organized over two days recently by Nethordaya, a Non-Governmental Organisation.

In what came as a great confidence booster for all the players, the Commissioner, participating in the valedictory of the programme, interacted with them all. He watched the concluding part of the volleyball finals between Madurai IAB and Poonamellee Govt. Boys School team held at the Velammal School Grounds in Mogappair which Madurai IAB won. The Commissioner praised the teams for their aggressiveness and good spirits.

Twelve volleyball teams with visually challenged boys and girls from the Southern States participated in the tournament. At the prize distribution ceremony, Social Welfare Minister Geetha Jeevan said disability was no hurdle to achieving great things in life. She pointed to Nethrodaya founder C. Govindarajan as the best example of this.

The Madurai IAB team, the Poonamallee team and the Bargur girl’s team received awards from the Minister. At the event, 26 children of blind couples received financial aid for their education.

T.V.S. Sundaram Iyengar & Sons Ltd. Vice President Girish, Paliath, Vellamal Trust CEO M.V.M. Velmurugan and playback singer Anuradha Sriram participated in the programme.

Source: A spirited performance by visually challenged, The Hindu, Chennai, 10 July 2008.