Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) has concluded the Samarth Championship, a five-match International Bilateral Blind Men’s T20 Cricket Series, as part of its Samarth by Hyundai initiative. The tournament, organized by Hyundai Motor India Foundation’s (HMIF) NGO partner, Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, in collaboration with the Cricket Association for the Blind in India, took place at Karnail Singh Stadium, New Delhi, from March 11th to 15th, 2024.
The series witnessed thrilling performances by both teams, but it was the Indian Men’s Blind Cricket Team that emerged victorious in all five matches against the Sri Lankan Men’s Blind Cricket Team. The objective of this initiative was to raise awareness and promote inclusivity for people with disabilities.
The closing ceremony of the championship was attended by special guests Mr. Praveen Kumar, former fast-bowler in Indian men’s cricket, and Mr. Madan Lal Sharma, former Indian cricketer & coach and member of the 1983 world cup-winning Indian team.
Series Summary:
Team India dominated the entire series, winning each match convincingly. They secured victories with significant margins in the first two matches, followed by a thumping win in the third match. The fourth and fifth matches saw Team India maintaining their winning streak with convincing performances, ultimately clinching the series.
About Samarth Initiative:
Launched in November 2023, the Samarth initiative aims to enable an inclusive and progressive world through the power of mobility. Hyundai’s efforts under this initiative include making its digital presence accessible to all and ensuring that physical business locations are accommodating to people with disabilities. Additionally, Hyundai is developing accessories like Swivel Seats in collaboration with MOBIS to enhance the friendliness of cars for differently abled individuals.
HMIF Partnership with Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled:
As part of the Samarth by Hyundai initiative, HMIF partnered with Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled to support differently abled individuals with assistive devices. The partnership aims to promote the physical and social development of visually impaired individuals in India through blind cricket. HMIF will organize training camps for visually impaired cricketers at grassroots and national levels and facilitate international bilateral series for the national Blind cricket team, providing them with larger platforms to showcase their talent.