IIT Madras: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and SBI Foundation have launched Phase 2 of the Para-Athlete Sports Scholarship Programme, expanding the initiative to support 80 para-athletes across eight Paralympic disciplines. Each selected athlete will receive a monthly scholarship stipend of Rs 40,000 for one year, in addition to sports science-based performance assessments, sports nutrition guidance and personalised support aimed at improving competitive performance, as per official information.
Interested candidates must note that the application window is open till August 9, 2026. In an official press release, the institute stated that the programme will support 40 male and 40 female para-athletes, across archery, athletics, badminton, judo, powerlifting, shooting, swimming and taekwondo.
Based on official guidelines, Indian para-athletes up to 35 years who have represented their state and/or India in recognised national or international competitions are eligible to apply, subject to the programme's selection criteria and submission of the required supporting documents.
During the first year, athletes from the inaugural cohort collectively won 70 medals in national and international competitions: 32 gold, 22 silver and 16 bronze medals.
The second phase of the programme aims to strengthen India's para-sports ecosystem by combining sustained financial assistance with scientific performance support, the official press release stated. "It will provide assistance to promising athletes, boost their competitive capabilities and build towards major national and international events, including the Paralympic Games," the institute said.
According to IIT Madras, a key feature of the programme is that support extends beyond the scholarship stipend. Acrophase will undertake sports science-based performance assessments to help athletes identify areas for improvement and optimise their preparation for competitions, it added.
The institute further stated that the athletes will also receive sports nutrition guidance throughout the one-year programme. "This will help fine-tune their nutrition strategies with their training and competition requirements," the official press release read.
