Evaluate the role of state support in converting grassroots para-sport talent into international success. What reforms are needed to sustain this momentum?

India's medal tally at the Asian Para Games rose from 14 at Guangzhou 2010 to a record 114 in 2026 [1][2]. State support explains much of this rise at the elite level. The grassroots pipeline beneath it, however, remains thin.

Where state support has worked

• Elite backing: MYAS sent 303 athletes in 17 disciplines and 143 coaches and support staff to Hangzhou 2022. India finished 5th, up from 15th in 2010 [2].
• Inclusive events: the Khelo India Para Games 2023 provided ramps, accessible toilets and accessible transport [3].
• Political ownership: the Prime Minister publicly praised the record tally. This raises the profile of para-sport and helps counter stigma [1].

Where it falls short

• Plateau: India won only three more medals than its 111 at Hangzhou, and 51 of those 111 were bronze [1][2]. The growth is in the number of medals, not in more gold and silver.
• Weak institutions: about 45% of SAI's sanctioned posts are vacant. Some of its 24 National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs) are not working or have no working hostel [4].
• Misused funds: NSDF money was diverted to civil-services associations and housing colonies. Private bodies also receive more CSR money than government sports institutions [4].
• Access only at events: accessibility is arranged for competitions, not for the grounds where athletes train every day [3].

Verdict: state support has driven the elite surge. It has not yet built a grassroots base that can sustain itself.

Reforms needed

• People: fill SAI vacancies within six months, as the Parliamentary Standing Committee recommends [4]. Reserve a fixed share of posts for coaches trained in para-sport classification.
• Infrastructure: turn NCOEs into residential-cum-educational centres, built to be accessible from the start [4].
• Finance: raise kit and nutrition stipends, tighten NSDF rules and revise CSR rules [4].
• Incentives: add accessible facilities and para-athlete numbers to the proposed state sports index [4].
• Governance: the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025 creates a National Paralympic Committee and a National Sports Board [5]. The Board should act through audits and guidelines, not direct control. FIFA's 2022 suspension of the AIFF shows that government interference can get Indian athletes barred from international events [5].

India's record shows that focused state backing can turn para-sport talent into medals. To sustain it, support must move beyond big events to the whole system: enough staff, accessible facilities, adequate funding and autonomous sports bodies. That would make the RPwD Act, 2016, the UNCRPD and SDG 10 real for athletes with disabilities.