Inclusive Cricket Match Spotlights Power of Sports

BANGALORE:
As part of the Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Challenge Bootcamp, co-led by UNDP and Citi Foundation, in collaboration with the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog in India and implemented by Assistech Foundation, an Inclusive Cricket League: Blind Cricket Match was hosted at the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B), which has consistently championed the empowerment of individuals with disabilities, providing unwavering support across academics, sports, and various other spheres of growth and achievement. This unique match brought together visually impaired cricket players and participants of the innovation challenge to spotlight the values of empathy, inclusion, and teamwork through sport.

Gracing the occasion was Padma Shri awardee and former captain of the Indian Blind Cricket Team, Mr. Shekar Naik, whose presence underscored the significance of inclusive sports as a tool for empowerment and awareness. The match featured members of the blind cricket team alongside the bootcamp participants—many of whom were blindfolded to experience the challenges and skills required to play the game without sight.

The participants from the blind cricket team were felicitated by the organizers for their remarkable contribution, acknowledging their role in creating a space where sport became a medium for dialogue and inclusion.

Praising the initiative Shekar Naik remarked “The startups participating in the Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Challenge are doing remarkable work in the field of assistive technologies & disability inclusion. Platforms like Youth Co:Lab offer them the chance to grow, engage with diverse stakeholders, and enhance their solutions. I believe this is a valuable opportunity and my encouragement and support are always with them”.

The Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Challenge 2024-2025 seeks to identify and support young entrepreneurs and individuals with disabilities who are developing solutions to improve access and well-being for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs). The challenge focuses on three sub-categories: inclusive and accessible assistive technology, inclusive educational technology and skilling solutions, and care service models and solutions for persons with disabilities. The top 18 startups selected from the National Innovation Dialogue participated in a five-day Bootcamp, which is hosted in partnership with the International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore. This immersive experience aims to provide intensive learning, industry exposure, mentorship, and networking opportunities to refine and scale their solutions.

The Youth Co:Lab initiative, co-created in 2017 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Citi Foundation, aims to empower and invest in youth across the Asia-Pacific region, accelerating the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through leadership, social innovation, and entrepreneurship. In India, Youth Co:Lab was launched in 2019 in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog.