India Autism Center celebrates neurodiverse athletes and advances inclusive sporting ecosystem through Sports for All
New Delhi : As part of World Autism Awareness Month, India Autism Center (IAC), a leading not-for-profit organization supporting individuals with autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions, hosted the ‘Sports for All: Building an Equitable Sporting Ecosystem for All’ initiative, in collaboration with The Quantum Hub, Special Olympics Bharat and The Accessibility Coalition, which brought together policymakers, practitioners, para and special athletes, and inclusion advocates to drive conversations around equitable access and participation in sports. The initiative reinforces IAC’s commitment to fostering inclusive opportunities while advancing its long-term vision of Samaavesh – a sustainable, community-based India’s largest residential ecosystem for lifelong care and support. The programme featured felicitation ceremony honouring young neurodiverse athletes, led by Dr. Mallika Nadda, President, Special Olympics Bharat, Smt. Geeta Mandaviya, Patron Member, Special Olympics Gujarat, along with Mr. Jaishankar Natarajan, Director and Chief Executive Officer, India Autism Center, Ms. Sakhi Singhi, Governing Body Member, Head of Communications, Partnerships, Fundraising and Talent Acquisition, India Autism Center, and Mr. Rohit Kumar, Founding Partner, The Quantum Hub. It also included a multi-stakeholder panel discussion on ‘Building an Equitable Sporting Ecosystem: Bridging Training, CSR, and Policy’, moderated by Nipun Malhotra, Chief Executive Officer, Nipman Foundation & Director – Disability and Inclusion at The Quantum Hub.
At its core, the initiative reflects a larger vision to embed inclusion within everyday ecosystems such as sports creating structured pathways that go beyond participation to enable skill-building, confidence, and long-term development for neurodiverse individuals.
The Felicitation ceremony recognized the outstanding achievements of 4 young neurodivergent swimmers, Meka Sri Ashvath (age: 11), Gunturu Lav (age: 9), Gunturu Kush (age: 9), and Thanvesh Navin (age: 10) for completing a 60 km open water relay swim across the Palk Strait, from Dhanushkodi, in Tamilnadu to Talaimannar, in Srilanka, and back – within an extraordinary span of only 18 hours. Trained by the coaches of Yadhavi Sports Academy for Special Needs, by their Head Coach – Sathish Siavkumar, these athletes began swimming at an early age and have steadily progressed from pool training to competitive open-water events, including the 5 km ‘Samudra Veer’ Porbandar Swimathon 2026, where they competed alongside significantly older participants. Their journeys reflect exceptional discipline, endurance, and determination, with many emerging among the youngest achievers at the national level. As they conclude this extraordinary 60 kms expedition, they continue to undergo rigorous ocean-training, further strengthening their capabilities on an international stage.
Beyond the felicitation, the summit convened a multi-stakeholder panel discussion, moderated by Nipun Malhotra, featuring Sonali Philip (Director of Operations, People & Culture, GoSports), Suvarna Raj (Managing Director, Sugamya Accessibility & Inclusion), Damini Ghosh (Lead, Disability & Inclusion Access, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy), and Aditya KV (Founder & CEO, Umoya Sports), to explore pathways for systemic change, accessibility, and inclusive participation in sports. Discussions underscored the importance of “sports for all” and the need for structural policy reforms, while also focusing on strengthening training pathways, leveraging inclusion, improving accessibility standards, and fostering collaboration between policymakers, organisations, and the sports ecosystem. The programme also featured a lightning talk moderated by Sakhi Singhi, offering first-hand perspectives from the coaches of Yadhavi and the parents of the Swimmers.
About the initiative, Mr. Jaishankar Natarajan, CEO and Director, India Autism Center, shared, “Sports have the power to transform lives by nurturing confidence, resilience, discipline, and a deep sense of belonging. The young athletes felicitated today stand as a powerful reminder of what becomes possible when individuals are met with the right opportunities, encouragement, and support systems. Their journey, perseverance, and achievements did challenge and redefine conventional perceptions of ability and potential.”
Dr. Mallika Nadda, President, Special Olympics Bharat, said, “Building a more inclusive sporting culture demands collective effort from institutions, policymakers, educators, and communities. Initiatives like these are important in driving that conversation forward – bringing together diverse voices to reflect on accessibility, training, representation, and the pathways needed to create more inclusive sporting ecosystems.”
Nipun Malhotra, CEO, Nipman Foundation & Director – Disability and Inclusion at The Quantum Hub, said, “Building an equitable sporting ecosystem requires intentional collaboration across policy, infrastructure, and community engagement. Initiatives like ‘Sports for All’ play a critical role in bridging these gaps by aligning stakeholders and creating pathways that are not only inclusive but also sustainable. The focus must now shift from isolated efforts to systemic integration, ensuring that accessibility and inclusion are embedded into the very design of India’s sporting landscape.”
Through strategic partnerships, IAC is driving systemic change by advancing accessibility, nurturing talent, and embedding inclusion in mainstream sports building an ecosystem that recognises ability and removes barriers to participation.
