In addition to providing training and support to para-athletes, the Aditya Mehta Foundation also seeks to increase public awareness of and funding for parasports. This week, The Pioneer converses with the founder as we go into great depth about their goals and projects.
Shraddha Neware
The Aditya Mehta Foundation, with its headquarters in Hyderabad, is dedicated to promoting community welfare and enabling those with physical disabilities to realise their aspirations.
Irrespective of the several obstacles that came his way, the founder Aditya Mehta brought in the foundation in 2013, making his goal to assist others in realising their potential despite having little to no resources.
In an exclusive interaction with The Pioneer, the founder of the first para-sports academy and rehabilitation centre in Asia shares that they evaluate, coach and guide athletes. “Being an athlete with physical limitations, I am aware of how difficult it is since, in most situations, the parents of the athletes we strive to find are hesitant. We must counsel them first. Second, the youngster or athlete who is with us does not have a greater aim after receiving counselling,” the founder stated.
For those destined for greater things, this is where the trainers and the team offer to counsel. The para-athletes begin to exercise starting at 5:30 in the morning to improve their abilities and achieve greater objectives.
The former para cyclist further shares, “As a team, we are capable of elevating an individual to Olympic caliber. And without any help from the government or Paralympic authorities, we made history by getting both para cyclists to the Olympics. We did this from the beginning.”
An ecstatic Aditya feels it to be a great accomplishment to be acknowledged by the Paralympic committees after obtaining the necessary criteria independently. Thanks to the AMF team’s tireless efforts and the exceptional para-athletes. This is a challenging task that requires significant financial assistance and does not come easily. The majority of prostheses and equipment are custom-made; therefore, it will take some time for the para-athletes to have access to them.”
While the silver medallist in the Asian Cycling Championship was cycling from Kashmir to Kanyakumari for a fundraising event, he along with the help of his parents and a close friend saw the value of starting an organisation.
“We have one challenge from day one,” shares the double silver medalist and he says, it’s the difficulties with money. “Due to the large number of participants, we are still having financial difficulties. People are starting to come forward, but we still need a lot of CSR help. We receive this help ten to fifteen days before the closure of March, and it becomes difficult to spend before March 31st.”
He emphasised that they will be able to give back to the community and secure a prominent position in the Paralympics if the funds are provided quarterly.
The organisation has conducted several talent hunt projects across the country in collaboration with organisations that have shown willingness and assistance. They started with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police in Panchkula eight years ago, and they recently held a National Para-Sports Talent Identification Hunt and Training Camp in association with Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti in Hyderabad.
With the support of veteran para-athlete coaches, the committed staff of AMF sustains world-class training standards despite their challenges. “Every coach we have employed has competed at the international level and is a former para-athlete working odd jobs. They are employed by us in our capacity.” The businessman-turned-activist further continued that they are working for passion and not money.
“They teach various people based on their strengths and attempt to determine which sports are more appropriate for each person’s particular skill level. We list every one of the 28 parasports. Since each kid or person with a disability has a unique set of abilities, we identify them and begin training them in that specific sport. A whole team is working on it. Everyone has contributed their blood, sweat, time and everything else to make our foundation better. My crew and I travel for 300 days out of 365.”
While the organisation works hard to be visible and raise awareness, they also have the support of actress Regina Cassandra, being one of the organisation’s notable and significant trustees.
The organisation has a lot of goals for the future, and it took them nearly ten years to compete at the world level in the Paralympic Games. Speaking about their organisation’s future plans, the passionate para-athlete stated, “I can’t speak on it because it’s our first Paralympics. However, we want to win 100 medals at the Youth Asian Games in 2025. Every day, the participants exercise with diligence and efficiency, optimising their time and honing their talents. As I often remark, we use athletics to help our physically challenged extended family members earn their dignity. Try leveraging the disadvantages of others.”
The foundation has shown a strong desire to achieve in parasports via their dedication, and they continue to set records in the para athletic community. Their passion has contributed to the development and bolstering of Hyderabad’s community
