here - Special Olympics Bharat

January 2016
Greetings from Special Olympics Bharat
FIFA 5-a-side Football
FIFA Football for hope and Special Olympics Asia Pacific held a
th
th
Football Championship in Nepal from 27 to 29 December
2015. Nepal, Pakistan and India participated in the tournament.
SO Bharat team consisted of 8 Athletes, two Coaches and one
HOD. The SO Bharat Team was headed by Mr. Victor Vaz,
National Sports Director of SO Bharat. The tournament was
conducted on a league basis. A total of 6 matches were played.
Each team played two matches against each other. In a series of
well contested matches, the SO Bharat team won all its matches,
defeating Pakistan in the finals and won the gold medal. SO
th
Bharat team returned on the 29 triumphant, happy and
delighted with their success. They returned with a
comprehensive experience of competitive rounds of football,
breaking barriers and forging new friendships.
„The excitement, of matches played between India and Pakistan of any level, runs very high. Both teams
play with a „do or die‟ spirit and the Athletes were no less in exhibiting the same.
Deep has been passionate about football and played it right through his experience with Special Olympics
which he joined 3 years back. Deep was part of the 11 a side Football team to 2015 LA Summer World
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Games. Unable to have scored even a single goal at the World Games placed him under strain at the
beginning of the tournament. His series of victories through the tournament saw him leap with joy!
Coming from an extremely low income group family with his
mother working as a housemaid in multiple homes and the
father having no fixed income, perhaps, strengthens Deep‟s
resolve to overcome the odds. He stays in a hutment in
suburban Kolkata known as Garia. Deep has mild
Intellectual disability with speech impairment and he attends
a special school.
9 Goals to his credit made Deep Guha the Athlete to have
scored maximum goals across the triangular series.
Nervousness which was evident earlier, gave way to deep
concentration and he made his first goal in the first match
played with Pakistan. The last match with Pakistan too saw
Deep make a goal, followed by one more made by Samir
Das Gupta, Captain of Team India, that defined India‟s
victory.
9 Goals to his credit made Deep Guha the Athlete to have
scored maximum goals across the triangular series.
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I’m very pleased at this new initiative taken by FIFA and SOAP, of holding a triangular football tour in
Nepal. It is a part of a bigger program that aims to extend superior quality football training to the Special
Olympics Coaches and Athletes aiming not only at maximizing the sporting potential of the athletes but
also strengthening their confidence and self-esteem.
I congratulate not only the winning team but all those who participated in playing the game in the
spirit of Special Olympics. Air Marshal Denzil Keelor, CEO, SO Bharat More
Indo Macau Unified Golf Camp
Golfing Athletes from India and Macau played
at a first ever International Golf Camp,Indo –
Macau Unified Golf Camp & Tournament
which was held from 3-9 December 2015 in
Gurgaon, Haryana. Preceding the tournament a
Coaching Clinic was led by Mr. Anitya Chand,
National Golf Academy of India Certified
Teaching professional, currently the Joint
Director of the Academy. The session took the
participants through the golfing greens and a
Golf simulator experience at Scottish High
International School. More
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The President of India felicitates Athletes
Palak Kalia
All of 11 years, seems younger and shorter also talks with
difficulty. Notwithstanding, she sprints her way through District ,
State and National level competitions since joining SO Bharat in
2013,paving way for being a recipient of the National Bravery
Award 2015 conferred by the Hon‟ble President of India, Shri
Pranab Mukherjee . Indeed a small wonder!
In an exclusive ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan
(President house) in November 2015 Palak Kalia was honoured
by a recognition that substantiated strength of her abilities. As
her father, Mr. Vijay Kalia, expresses, “ it was not easy to reach
here but seeing the outcome it all seems fine.” Having
overcome stray comments by family and friends on her
disabilities, he stands proud today in the wake of her strengths
that make her a role model not only for other Athletes but also
for persons without disabilities. She inspires everyone to „never
to give up‟ Following strict protocol Palak sat all by herself, away
from her parents , with co-recipients for an hour and a half which was the duartion of the Award
Ceremony. „ Another achievement I could never have imagined‟, said her father. Recently, she even
featured in an episode of a popular soap opera that highlights female achievers who have been
unrelenting in their struggle to win. More about Palak
Supriya Sudha
Supriya 18 yrs, found it difficult to hold back her tears when her
name was announced for the award in the category of Outstanding
Creative Persons with Disabilities. However, on taking to the dias,
which she is accustomed to brought, her confidence resurged and
she asked the minister „How are you”!Her dance performances
brought her this recognition. The moment brought her immense joy
but also made her yearn for her mother, who she lost a few months
back. Supriya was accompanied by her father who is a Government
official in Assam.Supriya,child with Downs Syndrome, having joined
SO Bharat- Assam Chapter 2 years back .She has been actively
participating in Bocce at various sports camps. Communication is
one of her strengths
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The National Bravery Awards are a set of awards given annually to about 24 Indian children for
"meritorious acts of bravery against all odds." The awards are given to children who were between the
ages of six to eighteen when they committed their acts of bravery. The awards are usually announced on
November 14, Children's Day or in January the following year, and later presented by the prime minister
on the eve of the Republic Day, and prior to this the President hosts a reception in their honour, where
the children meet the media.
People Who Care- Sugandha Sukrutaraj
“We are business. We service the industry with back office Data Entry but with a small twist.These
youngsters who do the work are adults
with moderate to severe Intellectual
disabilites”, Sugandha
Sukrutaraj, founder and Honorary CEO
of AMBA on receiving the award from Mr
Tim
Hopper,
Global
Responsible
Sourcing Manager, Microsoft. AMBA won
the 1st Place at GSC 3S Awards 2015,
under the Impact Sourcing Category,
which
recognizes
individuals
and
organizations that have established and
implemented impact sourcing practices to
benefit disadvantaged communities. The
Global Sourcing Council (GSC) became a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)and
the 2015 3S Awards program. The Awards were conferred at the United Nations Headquarters in New
York on 16 September 2015 More
AMBA is a registered Trust providing
sustainable livelihood to adults with moderate
and severe intellectual disability, leveraging
Information Technology .The training enables
high quality and accurate back office data entry
for various clients.The Mission of AMBA is to
maximise potential of the community of adults
with moderate to severe intellectual disability by
economically empowering them using peer
training and information technology.
Ms. Sugandha Sukrutaraj has been Founder
Vice President of SO Bharat, contributing
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extensively to the growth and development of the program and also having been Area Director of the
Karnataka State Chapter. She continues to be a part of SO Bharat in the capacity of Hon Vice President.
On 2nd December 2015 she also became a proud recipient of the National Centre for Promotion of
Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) Helen Keller Award under the category of Role Model
Companies/NGOs/Institutions. This award is given to organizations from the disability sector or outside
who have shown their commitment towards promoting equal employment opportunities for people
with disabilities. The program was held at the India International Centre, New Delhi
Premier Skills Coach Education Program
Samantha D Costa , Football Coach from SO Bharat
Goa presented the SO Bharat program and its success
in the presence of 40 participants including Premier
Skills coaches from Kerala, Goa, Sports Authority of
India and other NGO‟s including the Premier League
trainers at a Premier Skills Coach Education workshop
held in Goa in November 2015
The program was phase II of Premier Skills workshop,
the first phase having been conducted in 2014. Phase
II syllabus focused on the key areas of working in
partnership, highlighting examples of where football /
sport has been used as a tool for community and
social development. The objective of the workshop
was to impress on the Coaches the importance of working in partnership with local NGOs and have a
better understanding of the activities they do.
The workshop continues into its third phase which is slated for February 2016.
Athletes Run the Marathon in Goa
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Two Marathon events conducted in the months of November and December witnessed enthusiastic
participation of Goa Athletes. The United Goa Marathon- Run for Unity & Peace was held at SAG Campal
ground on 14 November 2015. After having completed the 5 Km walk, 15 Athletes participated in the 400
st
nd
rd
mtr as well as the 200 mtr run. The 1 , 2 and 3 position holders received Cash awards. The event was
flagged off at 6:30 a.m. by the Rev. FillipeNeriFarrao, the Arch Bishop of Goa and Daman who was the
chief patron. The Athletes and Coaches also volunteered at the Water Stations providing water to all the
Runners.
Continuing to bring their energies to the fore the Athletes participated in yet another Marathon conducted
a month later in Goa. 50 Athletes and Coaches participated in the 6th Edition of Skechers Goa River
Marathon 2015 organised by the Vasco Sports Club in Association with Goa Tourism, Sports Authority of
Goa and AIMS on 13th December 2015 at Sports Authority Goa Ground at Chicalim, Vasco – Goa. The
Athletes did the 5 KM run, enjoying all the way being cheered by the crowds.The first eight runners at the
50 m and 100 m race ran the finals. The 100m run was flagged off by The Chief Minister of Goa, Shri
Laxmikant Parsekar.
Unified Basketball- Telangana
“Their game strategy was too good. They knew when and whom to pass the ball”. This is what the Unified
Partners had to say for Athletes they played basket ball with. Their response was to an Athletes vs
Partners match that concluded a Unified Basket ball event held at the Meridian School, Kukatpally on 11
November 2015. Connecting the mind and heart is what Meridian School, Telangana stands for and since
joining hands with SO Bharat in July 2014 it has kept to its commitment of conducting Unified Sports from
time to time. This event was planned with a twist with first three Unified Basket ball matches followed by a
fourth and final match between Athletes and Unified partners displaying exclusive strength and skill of the
Athletes, making them formidable rivals and a force to reckon with.
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Unified Partners from all three branches of Meridian School (Banjara Hills, Madhapur, & Kukatpally) and
Athletes from Akansha and Abhilasha Schools wowed the 500 strong audience through matches which
challenged to distinguish between persons with and without intellectual disabilities.
The school children loudly cheered the Athletes as they entered the school premises , shaking hands with
each other. Contacts were exchanged, photographs were taken, and bludgeoning friendships were
visible. The loud cheers throughout the duration of the event was no lesser than an International event.40
children enthralled the audience with live music band, singing a special song on Unified Games,
composed indigenously.
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