Australia extends support to Indian wheelchair basketball team

A 10-member Indian women's wheelchair basketball team is currently training in Chon Buri, Thailand, with funding by Australian Consulate-General here.

The Australian Consulate here has supported the Wheelchair Basketball Federation of India (WBFI) with a direct aid programme grant of Rs. 2.58 lakh which enabled the national women wheelchair basketball team to participate in a six-day "development camp" in Chon Buri.

According to a cosulate release, the camp, hosted by IWBF Asia Oceania Zone is designed to teach players the fundamental skills of wheelchair basketball in a fun and stress-free environment.

"This is the first time a team from India consisting (ten players and two coaches) is travelling abroad, to train and interact with international coaches and players," it said.
 

At a formal send-off for the team, Australian Consul-General in Chennai Sean Kelly said, "We are pleased to be able to support this team and I am sure the international exposure will support their development as basketball players and coaches."

The team: Hima Kalyani B (Karnataka), Alphonsa Thomas (Kerala), Nisha Gupta (Maharashtra), Nisha Gopalakrishnan (Kerala), Vinolia Violet L (Tamil Nadu), SiniSaju (Kerala), R Hindu (Tamil Nadu), Poovammal S (Tamil Nadu), Satyavathi P (AP), Malathy Raja (Tamil Nadu). Coaches: Chetna Chaudhary (Rajasthan), Nikhilesh Sharma (Chattisgarh).