Delhi: The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) and the Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled announced the captain and vice-captain for the Indian Men’s Cricket team for the Blind on Thursday.
This announcement comes ahead of the upcoming Triangular series in Dubai, featuring India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Air Water has partnered with Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled and CABI, becoming the official partner for the Indian Men’s Cricket team for the Blind in this series.
Indian men’s cricket team for the blind along with Pakistan and Sri Lanka will feature in a Triangular Series in Dubai from Feb 22 to 25.
Durga Rao Tompaki will captain the Indian Men’s while, Sunil Ramesh will be his deputy for the Tri-Series.
Speaking about the Tri-series announcement, Dr Mahantesh G Kivadasannavar, the Chairman of the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI), emphasized the growth of Blind Cricket by playing against formidable teams and winning challenging matches. He sees the upcoming triangular series as an opportunity for players to face tough competition and bring pride to the country. Dr Kivadasannavar expressed gratitude to Ajay Kumar Reddy for his leadership skills and joyfully announced the new captain and vice-captain of the Indian Men’s Cricket team for the Blind. He believes that both players possess strength and skill, and under their leadership, Blind Cricket in India will achieve more success and recognition.
“It’s the biggest Honour and privilege to lead the Indian Team. I have played for the last 10 years and all my seniors and fellow teammates have helped to this day. I am grateful to all for having that faith in me and I am sure we all will work hard and make the country proud” said the Captain Durga Rao.
Speaking on the occasion Kausik Mukhopadhyay Managing Director at Air Water India Private Limited said “We at Air Water India (AWIPL) are committed to work towards the well- being of the communities where we operate and beyond.
Taking a leaf out of our parent company’s dedication towards sustainable CSR interventions, we have adopted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) #4 & #6 to channelize our energies in the space of corporate social responsibility.
However, AWIPL has always been open to exploring and going beyond the scope laid out in the above UNSDGs and contributing our efforts to any meaningful project that leads to the empowerment of individuals and assists in developing sustainable livelihood and a more inclusive society.
Given that the CABI project is focused on providing a platform for the differently abled to showcase their talent in the field of cricket, it is an obvious choice for AWIPL to participate in this engagement, thereby getting to live our core values of inclusiveness and equal opportunity.
On the occasion, the legendary Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif expressed his happiness in supporting the Cricket Association for the Blind in India and Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled. He commended their efforts to promote cricket for the visually impaired globally.
Reflecting on his previous attendance, Kaif recalled wishing the teams the best for the IBSA World Games 2023. He emphasized sports as the ideal platform for building an inclusive society, with cricket having the potential to drive the needed societal change.
Kaif noted that Cricket for the Visually Impaired serves as a positive transformative tool, empowering and transforming the visually impaired. He expressed gladness in supporting the players who inspire the nation by bringing laurels.
Kaif urged everyone to support cricket for the Visually Impaired and extended his best wishes to the captain and the entire team.
“Indian team will have 17-member squad for the Triangular series and players are chosen based on their performances in the 6th edition of Nagesh Trophy which concluded on early this month.
Debaraj Behera (B1) from Odisha, Sanjay Kumar Shah (B1) from Delhi and Magunta Sai (B2) from Karnataka have received maiden call to the National team for the Triangular series.
The coaching camp for the Indian men’s blind cricket team is being held from February 8 to February 20 in Bangalore. India will play Pakistan and Sri Lanka with one match each and the top 2 teams based on the points will play the finals on February 25.
About CABI:
CABI – Cricket Association for the Blind in India is the Apex Body Governing, Organizing and Developing Cricket for the Blind in India and has 30 State/UT Boards and over 25,000 Players affiliated at various domestic level tournaments in India. CABI is affiliated to World Blind Cricket Ltd (WBC) and is the Cricketing Arm and Initiative of Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled.
CABI organizes tournaments at District, State, Zonal and National levels. It helps the local bodies to organize local level tournaments to spot talent, develop teams of coaches, physiotherapists, trainers, umpires and other team support personnel.
CABI is also working on increasing awareness on Cricket for the Blind. By promoting the game, CABI believes that it will be a great inspiration for the visually impaired population of the country and a reminder that the real disability is only in the mind and nothing is impossible.
This attitude shift required in their lives is achievable through Cricket for the Blind and eventually would help them integrate into mainstream, for which the Success of this World Cup and a large visibility as one of its attributes assumes paramount importance.
About Air Water:
Air Water India Private Limited is a subsidiary of Air Water Inc., a world-leading gas and engineering conglomerate based out of Japan since 1929.
Backed by an entrepreneurial spirit, we proudly dedicate ourselves and our resources to the creation and development of business linking Air, Water, and the Earth.
With manufacturing facilities at Jamshedpur in Jharkhand and Bellary in Karnataka, Air Water India Private Limited serves the Industrial Gas requirements for Tata Steel, JSW Steel apart from large numbers of merchant customers all over India in the segments of Steel, Automobiles, Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals and more.
Our Air Separation Unit at Hyderabad caters to merchant requirements in the state of Telangana.
Taking our industrial gas supply beyond India, we also supply to our esteemed customers in Bhutan and Bangladesh.
Additionally, we supply Liquid Medical Oxygen and Medical Oxygen Gases in cylinders to various hospitals and nursing homes across the country.
The Company is having state of art filling stations in Kolkata & Asansol (West Bengal), Hyderabad (Telangana) & Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and supplies Oxygen, Nitrogen, Argon and Argon mixed gases, Helium, Nitrous Oxide, and Carbon Dioxide in cylinders to various customers across India.
Our philosophy of utilising natural resources to create value every day is what drives us at Air Water India.
About Samarthanam:
Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled is a National Award-winning NGO established in the year 1997 by Founder Managing Trustee Mahantesh G Kivadasannavar and his schoolmate and childhood friend, Late Sugur Paramashivaiah Nagesh.
Samarthanam, one of the biggest NGOs in India, works for the empowerment of persons with disabilities and the underserved through its diverse initiatives focused on providing quality education, accommodation, nutritious food, vocational training and placement-based rehabilitation. It facilitates opportunities to enable persons with disabilities and the underserved to keep pace with the rest of society.
Read more:
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