Kundapura: Medal-Winning athlete struggles for funds to compete internationally

Team Udayavani, Oct 15, 2024, 11:22 AM IST

Kundapura: Sachidananda Devadiga, an athlete who has won three silver and one bronze medal at the national level in the 100m sprint, is now facing financial difficulties in securing an air ticket to compete internationally. Despite qualifying for the Cerebral Palsy Grand Prix Games to be held in Dubai in February 2025, he is uncertain if he will be able to participate due to a lack of funds.

Sachidananda, who suffers from cerebral palsy, is the son of Srinivas and Sharavati Devadiga, residents of Alur. His brother, Saurav Devadiga, a 7th-grade student at Alur School, is a district-level chess champion.

A Passion for Sports

Sachidananda studied up to the 6th grade in Hiriyur, Bengaluru, and moved to Alur for the 7th grade. It was here, under the guidance of teacher Veerendra Jogi, that he got involved in sports. He won medals in javelin throw and shot put at the district level and later a bronze medal in shot put at the national level. However, his sporting journey faced a setback during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading him to consider quitting sports.

It was his uncle, Manjunath Devadiga, a coach for Special Olympics athletes in Bengaluru, and lecturer Sandhya Nayak from Kundapura Government Junior College, who encouraged him to continue. Despite his national-level achievements, Sachidananda struggled with proper nutrition and guidance due to financial constraints, causing him to narrowly miss out on more medals. Sandhya Nayak arranged free training through Samar at Ajjarkadu, helping him improve. Currently, he is pursuing his second-year Bachelor of Arts at MGM College, Udupi.

Medal Achievements

Representing Karnataka, Sachidananda won three silver and one bronze medal in the 100m and 200m sprint events for athletes under 19 at the CPSFI (Cerebral Palsy Sports Federation of India) national championships held in Gujarat, Delhi, and Goa. He has now fully shifted from shot put to sprinting, recording a time of 13.37 seconds in the 100m, while the world record stands at 10.82 seconds.

Financial Struggles

Sachidananda’s father, Srinivas Devadiga, once ran a hotel business in Bengaluru but now sells fish in Alur. His mother is a homemaker. Despite supporting his son’s education, the family is unable to afford the expenses for the international competition in Dubai. Sachidananda dreams of winning gold at the 2025 Grand Prix and is hopeful for financial support from kind-hearted individuals. Contact number: 7619420649.

Lifelong Medical Needs

Sachidananda requires lifelong medication due to his condition. Even missing a single dose can cause complications. His cerebral palsy resulted from a fall during childhood, which caused nerve damage to his brain. Although his parents managed to gather funds for treatment in Tumakuru, his condition requires ongoing medication.