Differently-abled children with various types of physical disabilities on Monday proved that they are no less capable than their physically fit counterparts and were heroes despite having certain physical drawbacks during a friendly table tennis event held at HIMS School, Narayantar, Jorpati.[break]
Some of the differently-able participants beat their physically fit opponents while others gave tough challenge at the tournament organized by the National Physical Disable Table Tennis Association (NPDTTA) with the slogan: We Are All Able.
Laxman Nepali, 14, a seventh grader at Eastpole School who could walk only with the help of his artificial leg, beat his tenth grader opponent Naresh Khadka, 16, of HIMS School, two sets by one.
Nepali, who hails from SOS Children´s Village, Jorpati, even doesn´t know why and how he has an artificial leg. But he was extremely delighted to beat his ´able´ opponent. "Playing in such events help making friends and I play with such opponents to make friends," Nepali said to the Republica.
Nepali´s opponent Naresh Khadka rated his opponent as capable of playing with normal people. "This type of events is very helpful in developing positive attitude towards differently-abled people and my attitude towards them has changed a lot."
Similarly, Shiva Thapa, 13, not only physically disabled but also mentally retarded said he feels great playing against ´able´ opponents. Thapa´s legs don´t work properly. He doesn´t know where his original house was. Thapa threw a tough three set challenge to his opponent Tenzing Sherpa of the same age.
"I was nervous to play with him as he played well and had not expected such a tough challenge from him," said the eight grader Sherpa adding, "Disabled are also as able as us."
According to Deepak KC, president of NPDTTA, the main aim of organizing the table tennis tournament at the school level is to develop positive attitude towards people with physical disability.
"School is the place where people can develop a healthy and positive attitude towards disabled people at a young age. Tournaments like this will develop positive attitude towards the disabled among the children, which can help create a disabled-friendly society," Khadka said.
The table tennis tournament was made possble with the support from Rotary Nepal Disability Awareness Campaign Project.
Among five table tennis contests to be played at different schools in the Capital, the matches played at HIMS was the second in the campaign. Earlier, the table tennis campaign had started from Suryodaya School, Ghhatekulo.
Out of the 20 differently-abled children picked from 10-15 years age group, ten were selected for matches after a month of training.
Bal Krishna Sharma, sports teacher at HIMS School, said the event was organised with only a few days to go for the next exam. We wished to encourage the disabled children, he said. "We wished to show our students that disabled people are equally competent and hardships in life need to be dealt with confidence."
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