The missing architecture of inclusion for para athletes

Source: The post “The missing architecture of inclusion for para athletes” has been created based on “The missing architecture of inclusion for para athletes” published in “Business Line” on 11th November 2026.

UPSC Syllabus: GS 2-Governance

Context: India’s para-athletes have brought international recognition through their achievements. However, it has been observed that there is disability-related exclusion which is largely a result of poorly designed infrastructure and fragmented institutional support rather than the athletes’ physical limitations.

About Para-athletes

1. Para-athletes are sportspersons with a physical, visual, or intellectual disability who compete in adaptive sports at national and international levels, including the Paralympic Games and Asian Para Games
2. India’s para-athletes have brought international recognition through their achievements, including 29 medals at the Paris 2024 Paralympics and 114 medals at the Asian Para Games 2026.
3. However, their achievements contrast with the lack of accessible infrastructure and institutional support, indicating that inclusion in sports remains a systemic challenge.

Challenges faced by para-athletes

1. Inaccessible transport: Para-athletes face difficulties in accessing railway coaches, platforms, public buses and taxis due to the absence of ramps and other accessibility facilities.
2. Poor sporting infrastructure: Many sports venues lack proper ramps, tactile pathways, accessible toilets and wheelchair-friendly spectator arrangements.
3. Inadequate accommodation: Hotels and hostels often lack accessible rooms and basic facilities required by athletes with disabilities.
4. High cost of assistive equipment: Sports wheelchairs cost around ₹45,000, while racing wheelchairs cost ₹4.5–5 lakh. Specialised prosthetics and replacement sockets are also expensive and largely dependent on imports.
5. Fragmented institutional support: Responsibilities are divided among the Ministries of Sports, Social Justice and Empowerment, Education and Transport, resulting in gaps in coordination and implementation.
6. Limited policy implementation: Schemes such as TOPS and cash awards mainly support athletes after they achieve recognition, while adequate support during their training and development remains limited.
7. Lack of mainstream integration: Para-sports largely operate through separate federations, while accessible school infrastructure, adaptive physical education and trained classifiers remain inadequate.

Way Forward

1. Universal accessibility: Sporting venues, schools, public transport and accommodation facilities should be designed according to universal accessibility standards.
2. Affordable assistive technology: Domestic manufacturing of sports wheelchairs, prosthetics and other specialised equipment should be encouraged to reduce dependence on costly imports.
3. Institutional coordination: Sports, Education, Transport and Social Justice ministries should work together to develop an integrated support system for para-athletes.
4. Grassroots inclusion: Inclusive school infrastructure, adaptive physical education and trained coaches should be promoted to identify and nurture talent from an early age.
5. Continuous institutional support: Financial assistance, training facilities and accessible infrastructure should be provided throughout an athlete’s journey, rather than focusing only on medal winners.
6. Accountability and monitoring: Accessibility audits and transparent reporting of expenditure on inclusive sporting facilities should be institutionalised.

Conclusion: India must move beyond event-based support and adopt an ecosystem-based approach to inclusive sports. Inclusion should be treated as a matter of equal opportunity and accessible design, rather than charity or an exception.

Question: Despite the achievements of Indian para-athletes at international sporting events, inadequate accessible infrastructure and institutional support continue to hinder their participation. Discuss the challenges faced by para-athletes in India and suggest measures to promote inclusive sports infrastructure.

Source: Business Line