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THREAD about India’s national body ( @spl_info ) under @SpecialOlympics
Themes of the thread:
Refusal to comply with NSDCI, 2011
#zeroTransperancy
Disregard for rights of PwD in state of
#Telangana
@drag_org @DisabilityIndia @MSJEGOI @IndiaSports @TheRahulMehra
Themes of the thread:
Refusal to comply with NSDCI, 2011
#zeroTransperancy
Disregard for rights of PwD in state of
#Telangana
@drag_org @DisabilityIndia @MSJEGOI @IndiaSports @TheRahulMehra
1/ Many Indians don’t know that @spl_info (SOB) early this year lost control of a major member state Tamil Nadu. Refer to http://W.P.No .22565 of 2019.
Interim orders had initially fined two SO, Tamil Nadu leaders 25k INR fine for not showing up in court
Interim orders had initially fined two SO, Tamil Nadu leaders 25k INR fine for not showing up in court
2/ Then SO Tamil Nadu reps became serious and were asked by the court to submit documents of the registered state body to the court. As of a 20.8.2019 -Paul Davasagayam and John Nagarajan were instructed by court to stay away from any activities related to disability sport in TN
3/ @spl_info never made an announcement of this major development. No statement was issued by the national office. In February when I went to TN for a lecture, I was shocked to learn that no one pretty much knew John Nagarajan was court ordered to stay away from any activity
4/
To his misfortune, he was invited to the same event and he was beside himself to see me there. I was later told by the organizers that he was unhappy to see me there and was inquiring how I was in India and what I was doing there.
There is more keep reading!
To his misfortune, he was invited to the same event and he was beside himself to see me there. I was later told by the organizers that he was unhappy to see me there and was inquiring how I was in India and what I was doing there.
There is more keep reading!
5/
Currently as the disability welfare commissioner’s office in TN is in the process (including Sports Development Authority of TN) to oversee formation of a new body — I got a call today from a parent who told me that John Nagarajan is still involved in SO related work.
Currently as the disability welfare commissioner’s office in TN is in the process (including Sports Development Authority of TN) to oversee formation of a new body — I got a call today from a parent who told me that John Nagarajan is still involved in SO related work.
6/
All this is happening while silently, this is the change that is made on @spl_info website. No press release or responsibility taking from SOB leadership. Please look at the state metrics. 8k+ coaches! Mind blowing numbers SOB is known to project. Read on
All this is happening while silently, this is the change that is made on @spl_info website. No press release or responsibility taking from SOB leadership. Please look at the state metrics. 8k+ coaches! Mind blowing numbers SOB is known to project. Read on
@IndiaSports knows these developments. It is not that the Ministry is unaware of these developments. Yet SO Bharat had never been held accountable for these messes! Renewal of recognition is a cakewalk for them every year.
7/
Now I will tell you why I included SO Bharat in my field research. Years ago, I met SO Bharat’s National Sports Director in LA during a HoD conference for the SOWG 2015. Initially my understanding about Victor was that he really was working hard to grow the SO movt in India.
Now I will tell you why I included SO Bharat in my field research. Years ago, I met SO Bharat’s National Sports Director in LA during a HoD conference for the SOWG 2015. Initially my understanding about Victor was that he really was working hard to grow the SO movt in India.
8/
These were the times when I was looking for organizations that would permit me to do my doctoral research with their members. Months of pursuing him made me realize that there was no transparency in how SOB operated.
These were the times when I was looking for organizations that would permit me to do my doctoral research with their members. Months of pursuing him made me realize that there was no transparency in how SOB operated.
9/
A chance meeting with a special education school principal in Hyderabad introduced me to what actually goes down in SO Bharat’s state units. Area directors are responsible for state development activities every where in the world. Here in India, that’s where the mess begins
A chance meeting with a special education school principal in Hyderabad introduced me to what actually goes down in SO Bharat’s state units. Area directors are responsible for state development activities every where in the world. Here in India, that’s where the mess begins
10/
Anywhere in the world, rarely @SpecialOlympics provides direct funding for state and local activities. The reason is to engage local community members to promote the culture of inclusion (great right?) This great idea greatly fails here in India.
Anywhere in the world, rarely @SpecialOlympics provides direct funding for state and local activities. The reason is to engage local community members to promote the culture of inclusion (great right?) This great idea greatly fails here in India.
11/
After having decided that institutions related research was not going to happen in India, having modified my research topic, I began looking for opportunities to contribute locally. In US, I am trained in a volunteer driven disability sports movement.
After having decided that institutions related research was not going to happen in India, having modified my research topic, I began looking for opportunities to contribute locally. In US, I am trained in a volunteer driven disability sports movement.
12/
Transplanting the same attitude here is what lead to this
and many others that I write for #AdaptedSportsIndia
In Hyderabad, I faced a nightmare to figure out what was happening in @spl_info Telangana. The best part was realizing we really had no area director.
Transplanting the same attitude here is what lead to this
and many others that I write for #AdaptedSportsIndia In Hyderabad, I faced a nightmare to figure out what was happening in @spl_info Telangana. The best part was realizing we really had no area director.
13/
In contrast to getting me to do all the work for free, I was lied to and kept away from any work related to SO Bharat. Everyone complained of Rajashekar, the guy who dealt with SO work here in Hyderabad but no one did anything about it. So I said I will and started asking Qs
In contrast to getting me to do all the work for free, I was lied to and kept away from any work related to SO Bharat. Everyone complained of Rajashekar, the guy who dealt with SO work here in Hyderabad but no one did anything about it. So I said I will and started asking Qs
14/
There were allegations of corruption, the AD never doing what he was supposed to do, oh! The list is endless. And when I got enough of the complaining I started asking questions to SO Bharat’s New Delhi office. That’s when the fun began
There were allegations of corruption, the AD never doing what he was supposed to do, oh! The list is endless. And when I got enough of the complaining I started asking questions to SO Bharat’s New Delhi office. That’s when the fun began
15/
I went and met innumerable people from all over the Telugu states (damn got KFC’ed) in Anantapur sun, went to the Godavari districts, Vizag to realize that this one man Rajashekar basically ‘managed both states’ (sports code violation)
I went and met innumerable people from all over the Telugu states (damn got KFC’ed) in Anantapur sun, went to the Godavari districts, Vizag to realize that this one man Rajashekar basically ‘managed both states’ (sports code violation)
16/
To this date, there are two dummy papers organizations between which Rajashekar shuttles and makes through to sustain himself financially. In two of the largest state units in SO Bharat. @IndiaSports never cared to get this in check!
To this date, there are two dummy papers organizations between which Rajashekar shuttles and makes through to sustain himself financially. In two of the largest state units in SO Bharat. @IndiaSports never cared to get this in check!
17/
Check out both the states’ details in the screenshots below here. Two state units’ offices in the same location. And the SO office that Rajashekar operates out of is his house.
Check out both the states’ details in the screenshots below here. Two state units’ offices in the same location. And the SO office that Rajashekar operates out of is his house.
18/
And the more I pushed my local contacts to allow me to meet Rajashekar and ask him for records (which I can under RTI), the more pushback I experienced. So much so that, one person had a meltdown when I independently contacted the national office. All hell broke loose then.
And the more I pushed my local contacts to allow me to meet Rajashekar and ask him for records (which I can under RTI), the more pushback I experienced. So much so that, one person had a meltdown when I independently contacted the national office. All hell broke loose then.
19/
Initial email to SO Bharat was direct. I reported everything that was happening here and Implored them to investigate into this situation (I was naive — allow me that much
)
Initial email to SO Bharat was direct. I reported everything that was happening here and Implored them to investigate into this situation (I was naive — allow me that much
)
20/
As soon as I send my email to the National office, I get buried in calls from local contacts in SO Telangana who panic and telling me the area director is furious about why I was inquiring into allegations from the field.
As soon as I send my email to the National office, I get buried in calls from local contacts in SO Telangana who panic and telling me the area director is furious about why I was inquiring into allegations from the field.
21/
To just clarify why an email sent to the leadership is coming back to me as backlash from the area director, I call a person who was heading Organization Development for SO Bharat at national level. She asks me to send her an email — I do it.
To just clarify why an email sent to the leadership is coming back to me as backlash from the area director, I call a person who was heading Organization Development for SO Bharat at national level. She asks me to send her an email — I do it.
22/
As they never replied I kept insisting on asking why there is no transparency. Then I see this jewel of reply. Look at everyone who is CC’ed there! So every knew what I was telling them was awfully going wrong here. Yet this person replies like this.
As they never replied I kept insisting on asking why there is no transparency. Then I see this jewel of reply. Look at everyone who is CC’ed there! So every knew what I was telling them was awfully going wrong here. Yet this person replies like this.
23/
To which I reply this: still there was no reply. And on further follow ups, I received the following jewel that I will always print and keep in front of every desk where I work in the world
To which I reply this: still there was no reply. And on further follow ups, I received the following jewel that I will always print and keep in front of every desk where I work in the world
24/
When an elderly parent from Haryana once told me — Padmini, they will make you crazy with their answers. Don’t file paper RTIs, they will never reply and even government doesn’t hold them them accountable - I felt it was a stretch but see this jewel and more
When an elderly parent from Haryana once told me — Padmini, they will make you crazy with their answers. Don’t file paper RTIs, they will never reply and even government doesn’t hold them them accountable - I felt it was a stretch but see this jewel and more
25/
That’s when I shift gears and start asking them information under RTI. Which they blatantly ignored and never even felt responsible to respond to. @spl_info is the only disability sport NSF that is still a registered trust and not a society. You see that changes a lot!
That’s when I shift gears and start asking them information under RTI. Which they blatantly ignored and never even felt responsible to respond to. @spl_info is the only disability sport NSF that is still a registered trust and not a society. You see that changes a lot!
26/
After a long silence from @spl_info I decided to ask @IndiaSports why it was okay for an NSF to not comply with RTI Act 2005. Initial request was useless so an appeal made MYAS to direct SOB to respond to my RTI request. All this took over A ******** year!
After a long silence from @spl_info I decided to ask @IndiaSports why it was okay for an NSF to not comply with RTI Act 2005. Initial request was useless so an appeal made MYAS to direct SOB to respond to my RTI request. All this took over A ******** year!
27/
Then this fantastic master piece # comes in. Letter is issued in July and I get it today in the email
Then this fantastic master piece # comes in. Letter is issued in July and I get it today in the email
28/
Problems here:
1. The numbers they show for AP and TS are ridiculously inflated and those numbers cannot be true if you know the ground realities here.
2. One AD for two states and the AD is not even closely qualified to handle the task of managing two states.
Problems here:
1. The numbers they show for AP and TS are ridiculously inflated and those numbers cannot be true if you know the ground realities here.
2. One AD for two states and the AD is not even closely qualified to handle the task of managing two states.
29/
For over an year now my numerious emails to them tried to tell them things are going gravely wrong here. Yet they have ignored it. Worst is below read on.
For over an year now my numerious emails to them tried to tell them things are going gravely wrong here. Yet they have ignored it. Worst is below read on.
30/
@SpecialOlympics despite knowing how dangerously vulnerable the population they serve are — ignores these ground realities. Innumerable communications have been sent from all over year across years and not once was SOB investigated.
@SpecialOlympics despite knowing how dangerously vulnerable the population they serve are — ignores these ground realities. Innumerable communications have been sent from all over year across years and not once was SOB investigated.
