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Trainings & Coaching Camps

To raise the standard of sports for the visually impaired in India, the Indian Blind Sports Association (IBSA) regularly holds training and coaching camps across the country. These camps offer expert-led sessions on scientific training, sports medicine, nutrition, and athletic development, benefiting both athletes and coaches.

Recent Event: Eastern Region Coaching Camp for Visually Impaired Female Athletes (21–25 March 2022, Kolkata)

  • 25 female athletes from West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Bihar
  • Track and field training: 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, javelin, shot put, discus, long jump
  • Mentors: Mr. Sudhir Rana (Paralympic coach), Mr. Ramashray Ram (Orientation & Mobility)
  • Closing ceremony with certificates, kit bags, T-shirts, and yoga mats
eastern region coaching camp for visually impaired female athletes

Webinars & Conferences

Seminars, webinars, and conferences form a vital pillar of IBSA’s mission to build awareness, enhance knowledge sharing, and strengthen an inclusive sporting ecosystem for the visually impaired. These gatherings unite athletes, coaches, sports administrators, and experts to exchange ideas, share experiences, and discuss emerging trends in para-athletics.

Warm-up

During the pandemic, IBSA partnered with the Blind Relief Association to host a series of online webinars on topics such as at-home fitness, mental health, and adapting training methods without access to full facilities.

Organized by the Blind Bankers of India & IBSA, the event discussed sports opportunities for the visually impaired, career viability, competition pathways, and government provisions.
Panelists Included:

  • Mr. K. C. Pande – Associated with the Blind Relief Association, Delhi for over 55 years and serving as Honorary Executive Secretary since 2005.
  • Mr. David A. – Honorary General Secretary, Indian Blind Sports Association.
  • Dr. Satyapal Singh – Chief Coach, Indian Blind Sports Association and recipient of the Dronacharya Award.
  • Mr. Ramkaran Singh – Arjuna Awardee, 2012.
  • Mr. Ankur Dhama – Arjuna Awardee, 2018.
  • Mr. Avnil Kumar – Bronze Medalist, Asian Para Games 2018.
  • Ms. Nidhi Mishra – Medalist at the Asian Para Games and a doctoral scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University.
  • Mr. Ramanjee – Para-athlete and Silver Medalist at the Dubai Athletics Open Championships.
  • Mr. Amit Malik – National-level blind sportsperson and officer at State Bank of India.
    Impact: The session inspired over 250 attendees, providing practical guidance and motivation for aspiring blind athletes.

National Events & Championships

The Indian Blind Sports Association (IBSA) organizes the National Athletics Championship for the Blind every two years—India’s largest sporting event for the visually impaired. Held in partnership with the Blind Relief Association, this championship has seen 23 successful editions and brings together athletes from across the country in events like sprints, jumps, throws, and chess.

Competitions are conducted under international rules, with categories for both totally blind (T11) and low vision (T12, T13) athletes. Certified officials from national federations ensure professional and fair conduct. The event is often graced by Olympians, Arjuna Awardees, and other top athletes.

Beyond athletics, IBSA also organizes national and regional tournaments in sports such as kabaddi, football, goalball, powerlifting, and judo.

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Recent Events

Event 1: 23rd Usha National Athletics Championship for the Blind 2024

13–16 December | Sports Complex, Marida Road, Nadiad, Gujarat

The 23rd Usha National Athletics Championship for the Blind was held from 13th to 16th December 2024 in Nadiad, Gujarat, marking India’s largest sporting event for visually impaired athletes. Organized bi-annually by the Indian Blind Sports Association (IBSA), the championship brought together:

  • 175 visually impaired athletes
  • 50 guide runners, coaches, and managers
  • 19 participating states

The event was sponsored by Usha International and co-powered by ISGEC Heavy Engineering Ltd.

Event 2: Athlete Classification & Anti-Doping Awareness

Athlete Classification & Anti-Doping Awareness

On 13th December, the IBSA classification team assessed 80 new athletes from states including:

  • Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jammu & Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, and others
  • 8 athletes were found ineligible following classification

A parallel Anti-Doping workshop was led by Mr. Vikas Tyagi and Mr. Amit Khandelwal from NADA India, covering:

  • Use of a dedicated mobile app for visually impaired athletes
  • Distribution of the Braille Anti-Doping Guide
  • Interactive Q&A with giveaways for 3 participants

Managers’ Meeting

The Managers’ Meeting covered event logistics, rules, and athlete coordination. Key figures Ms. Radhika Bharat Ram (IBSA Chairperson) and Mr. K. C. Pande (Blind Relief Association, Delhi) joined virtually to offer support.

Each team manager received:

  • A Technical Handbook
  • A Braille Anti-Doping Guide

Inauguration Ceremony

The opening ceremony on 14th December featured distinguished guests:

  • Vipul Patel, Chairman, Amul Dairy
  • Amit Prakash Yadav, IAS, Collector & DM, Kheda-Nadiad
  • Swami Rameshwar Das, Shree Santram Mandir

Also present were:

  • Kanlal Parmar, President, Para Sports Association of Gujarat
  • Chandulal Bha, Secretary, Para Sports Association of Gujarat
  • Dipali Rathi, President, Blind Sports Association of Gujarat
  • Sudha K Patel, Committee Member

Dignitaries were felicitated with mementos and scarves.
Special honors went to:

  • Kapil Parmar, Judo bronze medalist at the 2024 Paralympics
  • Ashwin Makwana, 2022 Asian Para Games medalist

Championship Highlights & Record Breakers

Visually impaired athletes competed in track and field events under the T/F11 (blind) and T/F12–13 (low vision) categories.

Women’s Records

  • T-12 Long Jump: Tejal Damor Amraji (Gujarat) – 4.39 m (National & Meet Record)
  • T-13 Shot Put: Chetna Galch Ratabhai (Gujarat) – 6.63 m (National & Meet Record)
  • T-13 Discus Throw: Chetna Galch Ratabhai – 18.63 m
  • T-13 Javelin Throw: Chetna Galch Ratabhai – 25.73 m
  • T-12 400m: Tejal Damor Amraji – 1:04.17 s

Men’s Records

  • T-12 5000m: Saurabh Sharma (Himachal Pradesh) – 16:26.31 s (Meet Record)
  • T-12 400m: Naveen Surla (Andhra Pradesh) – 53.8 s (National & Meet Record)

Team Championship Results

Men’s Categories

  • T11 & F11: Tamil Nadu
  • T12 & F12: Gujarat
  • T13 & F13: Uttarakhand

Women’s Categories

  • T11 & F11: Chandigarh
  • T12 & F12: Maharashtra
  • T13 & F13: Madhya Pradesh

Closing Ceremony

The championship concluded with a valedictory function attended by Ms. Kinnariben Shah, President of Nagar Palika, Nadiad.

Organizers applauded the dedication, sportsmanship, and unity of all participants. The success of the 23rd Usha National Athletics Championship reaffirmed IBSA’s commitment to advancing high-performance sports for the visually impaired in India.

Press Meet & Media Coverage

A pre-event press meet was held on 12th December 2024 at Hotel Centra, Ahmedabad, with over 15 journalists in attendance from leading media outlets such as The Times of India, Divya Bhaskar, DD News Gujarati, Sports 18, and PTI.

The event received extensive media attention, with coverage across 87 print, television, and online platforms.

Sight Classification

The Indian Blind Sports Association (IBSA) serves as the official sight classification body for blind sports in India. It is responsible for conducting and overseeing the classification of athletes with visual impairments at all major national events, including those held by Paralympic Committee of India.

Sight classification is a system that groups athletes with visual impairments into categories based on how much they can see. This helps ensure fair competition by matching athletes with similar levels of vision.

Why is Sight Classification Required?

Sight classification is essential to maintain fairness in blind sports. Success should be determined by an athlete’s skill, training, and effort—not by the severity of their impairment. By classifying athletes into appropriate categories, competitions are more balanced, giving everyone an equal opportunity to perform and succeed.

What Are Sight Categories?

Most international blind sports follow the B1 to B3 classification system set by the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA):

  • B1: No light perception in either eye, or light perception without the ability to recognize shapes.
  • B2: Visual acuity up to and including 2/60, or visual field less than 5°.
  • B3: Visual acuity better than 2/60 up to and including 6/60, or visual field between 5° and 20°.

Classification is based on two main factors: visual acuity (clarity of vision) and visual field (how wide one can see), measured in the better eye with the best possible correction (e.g., glasses or contact lenses).

To be eligible, an athlete must have a permanent impairment in both eyes. If one eye is fully sighted, the athlete does not qualify for classification.

How to Get a Classification

  1. Athletes may download the MDF form and carry a duly filled copy, signed and stamped by an ophthalmologist, along with other relevant test reports (if any), when called for classification.
  2. Athletes will be required to undergo a classification assessment by trained professionals before the event.
  3. Since vision affects each sport differently, classification must be conducted separately for each sport an athlete participates.

For more information or assistance with the classification process, please contact IBSA’s Classification Coordinator at npc.ibsaclassifier@gmail.com