Yogeshwar Dutt Calls for More Corporate Support for all Differently Abled Athletes at Radiant Sports

Former India international wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt has called for more corporate support for all Differently Abled athletes, beyond just para-athletes. The Olympic bronze medallist expressed his views speaking at the Radiant Sports Conclave, held at a city location ahead of the 1st Radiant Differently Abled Sports Awards.

A total of 250 nominations, including that of top differently-abled athletes like golfer Diksha Dagar “Gunga Pehelwan” wrestler Virender Singh, shooters Avani Lakhera and Manish Narwal and para-badminton stars Pramod Bhagat and Suhas L.Y, have been received from as many as 20 federations for the awards, which are scheduled to be given out at a glittering ceremony at the Siri Fort auditorium in the national capital on Saturday, December 23, 2023.

The 1st Radiant Differently Abled Sports Awards, will be broadcast LIVE on Doordarshan from 12noon-3pm

Further addressing the gathering at the conclave Shri Dutt said, “Under our Hon. PM Narendra Modi’s guidance, our differently abled athletes are getting equal recognition in the society and with initiatives such as Radiant Differently Abled Sports Awards, the message of equality in our society gets echoed louder. It’s very important for the corporate world to be there for our athletes as it is our responsibility to treat them like family. I want to congratulate Radiant Sports for organizing this event as these awards will inspire and motivate the next generation of athletes to achieve for the country.”

Also, sharing his thoughts was Shri. Aushim Khetarpal, Founder of Radiant Sports, who said, “The conception of the first-ever Radiant Differently Abled Awards and the commencement of the Radiant Conclave today marks a milestone. It is not only meant for para-sports, but all kinds of physical disabilities. Over 120 athletes from 27 federations across the country have gathered, bringing with them 250 nominations. Notably, vice presidents and presidents of more than 20 federations are also present. The journey begins with the conclave, followed by the awards ceremony, set to be broadcasted live on Doordarshan tomorrow. I am happy that we have successfully navigated the challenging task, and this will certainly do well to the society and community at large.”

On the occasion, Ms. Raadhika Khetarpal, Co-founder and President of Radiant Sports said, “It fills my heart with pride to present the Radiant Differently Abled Sports Awards. For over 8 months, we tirelessly identified celebrated individuals in the fields of films, infrastructure, administration, coaching, academies, and exceptional players who represented India globally. We as humans don’t realize the blessings we hold on a daily basis. This award show and conclave is not only to recognize achievements but also to impart a crucial message that every moment is an opportunity for gratitude.”

The 1st Radiant Differently Abled Sports Awards (RDASA) will be the first in the country exclusively for Differently Abled athletes and is aimed at celebrating the outstanding achievements of the differently abled sports community annually. It was recently hailed by the Head of World Para Athletics, Mr Paul Fitzgerald, who lauded Radiant Sports for their commitment to promote inclusivity on a global scale. Paul has also vetoed all the final nominations,

An eminent jury comprising Yogeshwar Dutt and National Para Athletics coach Satyanarayana among others, has been set in place to adjudicate the awards.

The Advisory Committee consists of such household names such as Ashwin Nachappa, MSK Prasad, Ashok Dhyanchand and Rupinder Singh.

Beyond the Best Female and Male Athlete awards, the RDASA will be recognising top coaches, academies, the most stylish athlete, social media star, teams and there is also an award for the Best Sports Fan, so important in the development of Differently Abled Sports and sportspersons.

In the running for the Dhyanchand Team of the Year will be the Indian para-shooting team, the women’s blind cricket team, the deaf Indian wrestling team and the AISCD Badminton team among others.