Game Face, Real Lives: Inside Adaptive Sports

On June 29, 2025, Enable Education hosted a webinar on ‘Game Face, Real Lives - Adaptive Sports.’ Held on Google Meet, the session was graced by two very inspiring sportspersons. It was packed with stories of grit, glory and triumph.

The webinar was moderated by Ms. Aarushi Gambhir, Founder of Enable Education movement and Disability Inclusion Strategist. The event featured key speakers Ms. Khyati Mehta, a mountaineer and an adventure sports enthusiast, and Mr. Rahul Ramugade, Captain of Mumbai Wheel Chair Cricket Team, and also a national para swimmer. Our Chief Guest was Mr. Samarth Pathak, Communications & Advocacy Lead (South Asia) and Regional Focal Point (Education and Youth).

The discussion began with an introduction of guest speakers, unfolding their illustrious career bit by bit. Ms. Khyati set the discussion into motion by talking about her journey so far. She mentioned how she has always been physically active as an individual, and sports, be it scuba diving, marathons or even mountaineering always gave her a sense of achievement. She ascribed her ‘never give up’ attitude as the sole reason for being able to achieve various feats such as being awarded the Run Your Way title in Tata Mumbai Marathon, and learning how to swim at the age of 41. Mr. Rahul spoke about his penchant for sports ever since he was in school. First it was swimming, and then cricket.

As somebody battling the Nail-Patella Syndrome, Ms. Khyati opened up about her journey and how it was never an easy one. She had to justify her condition on numerous occasions because of  lack of awareness around it, and being a woman made that a lot more tougher. Mr. Rahul agreed that navigating your way through sports is not easy. He highlighted the dearth of disability-friendly sports gear, and the most basic of necessities such as a cricket kit.

As the Q&A session proceeded, several topics were touched upon. Our speakers talked about their challenging moments where they almost felt like giving up, importance of rest and emotional support, and what accessibility truly means to them. Ms. Khyati found it imperative to mention that inclusion should not be only in terms of infrastructure, and change should begin from the psyche of society at large. She said that we should aim for a society where a person with a disability shouldn’t have to justify his/her basic reasonable accommodations. Mr. Rahul opined that accessibility is not only vital for people with disabilities but also non disabled people.

Ms. Khyati and Mr. Rahul delivered a strong parting message: to cultivate a never-dying spirit and a calling to leave your mark, to stand out and to stand tall, come what may. Attendees were then asked to put forth questions to the panel.

Ms. Gambhir wrapped up the event by extending heartfelt gratitude to the speakers, attendees, and partners who contributed to the success of the webinar. The webinar served as a reminder that sports could be a powerful enabler for promoting disability rights by challenging stereotypes and fostering empowerment.