A one-day consultative meeting on “The Inclusion of Disability Sports in the Manipur State Sports Policy” was held on Thursday at Hotel Imphal (Sangai Hall), bringing together key government officials, sports authorities and stakeholders.
The meeting focused on developing a comprehensive framework to formally integrate disability sports into the State’s sports policy. Secretary (Youth Affairs & Sports) N. Praveen Singh emphasised that sports in Manipur must remain inclusive and accessible to sustain the State’s standing as a leading sporting hub. He called for coordinated efforts among departments such as Education, Social Welfare and Youth Affairs & Sports to ensure effective implementation.
Discussions also highlighted the need for structured athlete pathways, proper classification systems, specialised coaching, sports science support and improved infrastructure. Existing sports hostels, including those sanctioned under PM-JANMAN, were identified as potential training hubs.
Regional Director, SAI-NERC, C. Dhandapani described the initiative as a significant step towards building a systematic pathway for para athletes to compete at higher levels, including the Paralympics. Stakeholders shared inputs on funding mechanisms, governance models and best practices adopted in other States.
The meeting concluded with an open discussion aimed at strengthening institutional support for disability sports in Manipur.
