Business Wire India As a catalyst to the cause of empowering India’s sports talent, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has partnered with the GoSports Foundation to identify and support Indian para- athletes across multiple Paralympic disciplines. The support covers high performance training, travel and competition needs, nutritional counselling, fitness and injury management, rehabilitation, physiotherapy and strength training.
 
The eleven Para Champions who will aspire to make India proud at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games are:
  1. DevendraJhajharia(JavelinThrow) - ParalympicGamesGoldmedalist,WorldRecordHolder & PadmashreeAwardee
  2. NarenderRanbir(JavelinThrow) - ParalympianandAsianParaGamesmedalist
  3. Amit Saroha(ClubThrow) - ParalympianandAsianParaGamesmedalist
  4. SuyashJadhav(Swimming) - OnlyIndianParaswimmer to qualify for Rio 2016
  5. AnkurDhama(1500m) - AsianParaGamesmedalist
  6. VarunBhati(HighJump) - World No. 2
  7. RampalChahar(HighJump) - World No. 6
  8. DeepaMalik(ShotPut) - AsianParaGamesmedalistandArjunaAwardee
  9. Dharambir(ClubThrow) – QualifiedParalympian at 2016AthleticsGrandPrix,Dubai
  10. Pooja(Archery)-2016ParaNationalArcheryChampionshipmedalistand World No. 5 at 2016 World RankingArcheryTournament
  11. Rinku (Javelin   Throw)  –   Qualified   Paralympian  at   2016   IPC   Athletics   Grand   Prix,Switzerland
Comments:NPSingh,CEO,Sony Pictures Networks India(SPN):“Sport is a terrific medium of empowerment and as responsible sports broadcasters; our long term vision is to improve the sports narrative in India. The para athlete’s achievements are incredible and humbling and we are happy to facilitate their ability to compete on the international stage. Sony Pictures Networks is proud to take up the social responsibility of empowering India’s talented sportspersons through such associations.”Smriti K.Singh,CHRO, Sony PicturesNetworksIndia(SPN):“There is a dire need for support of differently-abled sports in India. It is largely through their own resilience that these athletes are creating a better quality of life for themselves and their families. While the will to excel is true of any sportsperson, the differently-abled are also fighting the social stigma associated with their disability. However, through sport, they have established that they are winners not just in their sport but also in life. We want to give life to their stories, as recognition for their efforts, inspiration to others and hopefully influence policy makers.”DeepthiBopiah,ExecutiveDirector, GoSports:“Sony Pictures Networks is visionary in understanding the importance of developing sporting talent in India and within that, developing differently abled sports because of the larger challenges that these athletes face. It is a little known fact that India’s first Olympic gold medal in an individual sport, was actually won by one of our para athletes Devendra Jhajharia, an amputee, for Javelin throw and his world record is unbeaten even today. SPN’s support enables us to offer such athletes better sports facilities.”SPN’S CSR Theme:Ek India HappywalaFactual Data about Disability in India: 
  • As per the Govt. census report of 2011, over 2.68 CR individuals in India suffer from disability. This accounts for 2.21% of the country’s population
  • These individuals face many challenges ranging from:
    • Limited disabled friendly infrastructure and facilities
    • In-equal treatment
    • Social stigmas
    • Reduced participation in society
    • Low self-confidence / Inferiority complex & therefore an overall unsatisfactory quality of life
About Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN): PicturesNetworksIndia(formerlyMultiMediaPrivateLtd.),subsidiarySonyCorporationwhichownsoperatesEntertainmentnetworkoftelevisionchannels..About GoSports FoundationThe GoSports Foundation is a not-for-profit venture primarily focused on the development of India’s best and most promising junior Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Through its scholarship programmes, GoSports Foundation has supported more than 200 high-performing junior athletes and conducted Coach and Athlete Education programmes andConclavesaimedimprovingsportingecosystemPhoto Caption:
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