30-year-old Tilakram Tharu of Baijnath Rural Municipality-2 Banke does not have legs. He was injured while playing football at the age of 19. Due to the injury, the spinal cord stopped working when the nerves of the back were affected.

Now you have to walk with the help of a wheelchair . Even though his body did not support him, he did not want to stop the game . Not taking disability as a problem, he used his confidence in basketball .

He chose basketball instead of football when he became a wheelchair friend. It has been 8 years since he started playing basketball. He learned to play basketball for the first time at Sanga in Bhaktapur. Got a chance to learn more in Kathmandu.

Tharu, who currently plays for Nepal Spinal Cord Injury Sport Association Kathmandu, has also played in many competitions with the help of a wheelchair. He has played wheelchair basketball tournament in Pokhara, Butwal, Kalikot, Mugu, Dhangadhi, Kathmandu etc.

He participated from Banke district in the state level wheelchair basketball tournament organized by the Lumbini State Sports Council at Ghorahi on Saturday.

'I found many friends like myself . This kind of program increases our confidence,' he said, 'Initially, I thought I was the only one with a disability, but when I went out, I felt encouraged when I saw other friends like me.'

He said that the provincial government has organized a competition for the first time in Dang to bring out the abilities of the disabled.

Like Tharu, Ashok Tharu of Nepalgunj sub-metropolitan-7 Banke also plays wheelchair basketball. Both his legs are not working due to polio at a young age . But with the confidence he had, he was able to play basketball. Sitting in a wheelchair, he can score from outside the white line of the court . 

39-year-old Vivek Choudhary of Dangisharan Rural Municipality-5 Dandachis, Dang, also has no lower back function. Vivek, who was injured in a fall 13 years ago, initially suffered from back problems, but as the injury worsened, he had to walk with the help of a wheelchair.

Vivek has started playing basketball since 1973.

'Even if the body does not support, the mind wants to play . Playing adds more energy,' he said, 'We should pay attention to bring out our potential by organizing other competitions like wheelchair basketball.' He is now living a wheelchair life after he stopped working due to the injury. Representing Dang, he played the state level competition for the first time on Saturday.

'I also think that I have been able to do a lot of things . "I didn't play sports when I was healthy," he said, "I learned to play after being able to walk with the help of a wheelchair." Now I will continue it and focus on capacity development.

In basketball, the rules are the same for people with disabilities to play as for people with disabilities, but it is very difficult for people with disabilities to move forward with the ball. There is a risk of injury from wheelchair collisions. You have to play very smartly to avoid this.

A separate wheelchair is required in the wheelchair basket ball competition for disabled people. But it is not possible for everyone . They participated in the competition by sitting in the wheelchair they are currently using. Tiran Gautam, member secretary of Lumbini Province Sports Council, said that the sports council has started with wheelchair basketball to bring out the abilities of the disabled in the province.

He says that there is a challenge in organizing sports due to the lack of disabled-friendly structures and infrastructure. He said that through the competition, he tried to draw everyone's attention to the problems of the disabled with the demonstration of their abilities.

"The competition has given a message that people with disabilities have immense potential," he said, "It has given a positive message to the society." Dayaram Adhikari, a member of the Lumbini Province of the National Association for the Disabled, said that it is necessary to regularly organize the competition for the disabled.