New Delhi, 15 October (H.S.): Indian boccia player Sachin Chamaria will represent India at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games, scheduled to begin on October 18. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has approved the inclusion of two boccia players in the Indian contingent. Chamaria will compete in both the individual and pairs events in the BC3 category.

Chamaria’s life took a dramatic turn in 2008 when a severe spinal cord injury left him paralysed in all four limbs. However, he returned to competitive sport in 2021 by taking up boccia and setting himself a new goal. Since then, he has won six national gold medals in succession. He is also working to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities and expand opportunities for them through sports.

“I am grateful to the Ministry of Sports and everyone who made it possible for me to represent India at the Asian Para Games. Wearing the Indian jersey is a responsibility that I value deeply. I will give my best in both events. I hope this opportunity will help boccia gain greater recognition and inspire more persons with disabilities to participate in sports,” Chamaria said.

At the World Boccia Challenger held in Cairo in 2026, Chamaria won a silver medal in the BC3 pairs event alongside Sarita Dwivedi. He also secured a bronze medal in the individual event.

His international achievements include a gold medal at the World Boccia Challenger held in Bahrain in 2024. With that victory, he became the first Indian male BC3 player to win an international gold medal. He also won silver in the individual event and bronze in the pairs event at the Cairo Challenger in 2024.

Ranked 19th in the world, Chamaria is the highest-ranked Indian boccia player. He received the Inspirational Sportsperson Award from the Paralympic Committee of India in 2023 and the Indian Achievers Award in 2024. Through his sporting achievements and efforts to promote disability inclusion, he hopes to challenge social perceptions of disability and highlight the importance of equal opportunities.

Understanding the Sport of Boccia

Boccia is a precision-based sport in which players aim to place red or blue balls as close as possible to a white target ball known as the jack.

In the BC3 category, athletes with severe physical and mobility impairments use assistive equipment to participate. A ramp is used to propel the ball towards the target, with an assistant helping to operate the ramp. However, the athlete retains control over decisions concerning the direction, strategy and placement of every ball.

Unlike sports that rely primarily on speed or physical strength, boccia demands concentration, patience, strategic thinking and precision. It is often compared to chess because every move can influence the strategy and outcome of the game.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar