Guwahati, August 25, 2025 — After successful editions in Chennai, Mumbai, and Lucknow, East Zone Regional Abilympics 2025 was flagged off on 22nd August at Kalakshetra, Guwahati. This marks the final regional event in Phase 2 of the Abilympics skill competitions before the nationals in Delhi this November.
The event was inaugurated by Shri. Mukesh Chand Sahu Principal Secretary to the Govt. of Assam, Women and Child Development along with guest of honour Shri Bhaskar Jyoti Manta, Additional Secretary Cum Director Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of Assam. The inauguration was attended by Mr. Mrityunjay Bansal, Deputy Commissioner, Income Tax (Headquarters) of North East Region at Guwahati, Dr. Jitender Aggarwal Secretary General NAAI and Founder Sarthak Educational Trust, and Shri S.K. Gupta, Advisory Board Member, Sarthak Educational Trust alongwith Mr. Siddhartha Rastogi, Advisory Board Member, Sarthak Educational Trust.
Organized by the National Abilympic Association of India (NAAI) in collaboration with Sarthak Educational Trust, and supported by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), TPCDT, and IndusInd Bank and the East Zone Abilympics welcomed over 100+ Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram, Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha. Participants competed across a wide range of vocational skills including Photography, Painting & Decoration, Crochet, Engineering Design, Hairdressing, Massage, and Bakery & Patisserie.
Shri. Mukesh Chand Sahu Principal Secretary Women and Child Development Assam Government shared “Disability as a subject has been evolving for years, and it will continue to do so. Each of us has abilities, none of us are complete — which is why the focus must be on creating opportunities, not discrimination. Identifying and nurturing talent from regional and local areas is a mammoth task, and Abilympics is doing it beautifully. It benefits the community at the grassroots and shines a light on hidden talent. My best wishes to all participants as they move ahead to the Nationals and Internationals.”
Shri. Bhaskar Jyoti Manta, Additional Secretary Cum Director Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of Assam added, ““In Assam, we are making strong efforts to launch initiatives for PwDs which will benefit them in the long run. From competitive exams to Paralympic sports, PwDs from Assam have already excelled on national and global stages. The upcoming National University for Disability Studies near Guwahati — the first of its kind in the Northeast — will further reflect the state government’s commitment to inclusive development and prepare skilled, market-ready candidates for the future.”
Alongside the competitions, a Regional Conference on Disability Inclusion and Skilling was held on Day 1 (August 22), featuring a dynamic lineup of panels and key speakers. Sessions focused on Assistive Tech Innovations, Policy & CSR Partnerships, Inclusive Workplaces, and PwD Changemaker Stories, while also highlighting the synergy between Abilympics and Non-Profits in strengthening the skills pipeline. Leaders from government, corporates, NGOs, and the disability sector took part in the 2 day event to co-create solutions for a more inclusive future.
Dr. Jitender Aggarwal, Secretary-General of NAAI and Founder & CEO of Sarthak Educational Trust, said, “The East Zone Abilympics marks the final leg of this phase for Divyangjan to showcase their skills, secure opportunities, and take one step closer to representing India on the world stage at Finland 2027. At Sarthak, our vision goes beyond skill-building — we are building futures. By 2027, we aim to empower 10 million PwDs and create over 2 lakh sustainable jobs.”
He further highlighted the local impact, “Our Guwahati center, launched in 2022, has already trained over 900 PwDs, with nearly 70% placed in corporates. Another 300 have been upskilled in digital literacy. From districts like Baksa, Barpeta, and Morigaon, we are now expanding across the Northeast to ensure no talent is left behind.”
Participants echoed this sentiment. Snigdha Rajbongshi, a hearing-impaired participant from Guwahati, shared, “I never imagined I’d get such a platform. Abilympics showed me that my crochet skills matter, and now I dream of reaching Nationals and one day representing India at Finland 2027.” Several others like here were not just there to win, but to represent a life of quiet resilience and extraordinary creativity in various work skills.
Paving the Road to Finland 2027
The winners from Guwahati will qualify for the National Abilympics in Delhi (November 2025), where Team India will be selected to compete at the 11th International Abilympics in Finland (2027) — the global “Work Skill Olympics” for Persons with Disabilities.
The East Zone Abilympics promises to be not just a competition, but a celebration of resilience, talent, and inclusion — reaffirming that disability is not inability.