2 weeks ago
India's top BC3 Boccia player Sachin Chamaria's resilient journey
Sachin Chamaria is a very brave athlete from India.
When he was 17, he had a car accident that meant he could not move his arms or legs.
Before that, he was a champion in taekwondo and loved sports.
He wanted to represent India in sports again.
A doctor told him about a game called Boccia, which is played sitting in a wheelchair.
Sachin learned the game and became very good at it.
He won the national championship six times.
Boccia is new in India, so there are not many places to practice.
Sachin had to pay for his own trips to play in other countries, which cost a lot of money.
He is now the first Indian ever invited to play in the Boccia World Championships.
He practices many hours every day with his coach.
Sachin hopes to win a medal for India at the Paralympics one day.
Sachin Chamaria is India's highest-ranked BC3 Boccia player and a six-time National Champion.
He became paralysed from the neck down after a road accident in Kolkata in 2008 at age 17.
He discovered Boccia in 2018 through a physiotherapist and contacted the Boccia Federation of India.
Chamaria self-funded most of his international tournaments, costing at least Rs. 10 lakhs each.
He is the first Indian ever selected by World Boccia to compete in the World Championships in Seoul.
- Who
- Sachin Chamaria, India's highest-ranked BC3 Boccia player and six-time National Champion
- What
- Chamaria's journey from paralysis to becoming the first Indian selected by World Boccia for the World Championships
- Where
- India (Kolkata, Hong Kong for Asian Games, Seoul for World Championships)
- When
- Accident in 2008; discovered Boccia in 2018; World Championships upcoming in Seoul
- Why
- To represent India in Boccia at the Paralympics and help India compete in medal tallies
Support for Government Recognition
Self-Funding and Independence
Government recognition and funding
Support for Government Recognition
The sport should be recognised and funded by the government to provide infrastructure and support for athletes.
Self-Funding and Independence
Athletes like Sachin can self-fund and rely on personal financial independence to compete internationally.
Key facts
- Athlete
- Sachin Chamaria
- Sport
- Boccia (BC3 category)
- National titles
- Six-time National Champion
- Accident
- Road accident in Kolkata in 2008, paralysed from neck down
- Boccia introduced in India
- Around 2018 or 2019
- Tournament cost
- Minimum Rs. 10 lakhs per tournament
- Coach
- Portuguese coach David Henriques
- World Championships
- First Indian selected by World Boccia, in Seoul
Quotes
Sachin Chamaria
Indian BC3 Boccia athlete
“"All the championships I have participated in, apart from the Asian Games in Hong Kong, that was government sponsored because it was the Asian Games. But otherwise, I have been to any of the previous World Challengers or World Cups or anything, that I have won at my own expense."”
firstpost.com
“"I don’t feel any pressure for two reasons. First of all, I consider myself very privileged and lucky that I have this opportunity to represent India in this particular sport."”
firstpost.com
Sources
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