Freedom to Excel shines the spotlight on blind cricket and differently abled cricket for an inclusive society

Vedic Village Spa Resort and Foundation to Summit successfully conducted “Freedom to Excel”, a special DEI (Diversity, Equality, Inclusion) initiative in sports held on 15 August 2026 at Vedic Village Spa Resort, Kolkata, celebrating India’s Independence Day by placing the achievements, aspirations and sporting potential of persons with disabilities at centre stage.

The programme brought together blind cricketers and differently abled cricketers of West Bengal, creating a platform to celebrate their talent while drawing attention to the need for greater inclusion, visibility and opportunity in sport.

The programme went beyond a sporting event to underline a powerful message: disability should never be a barrier to ambition, participation or excellence.

During the programme, the players of West Bengal Cricket Association for Differently Abled (WBCADA) played against the team of Vedic Village Spa Resort in a 7 over game. 5 men and 2 women players were part of the both the teams respectively.

The highlight of the programme though was the blind cricket. Two teams from Cricket Association for Blind in Bengal (CABB) were formed including 5 men and 2 women in each team to compete against each other. Their game demonstrated grit, resilience, trust and coordination among the blind players during a match.

Rajib Roy Choudhury, Associate Vice President, Vedic Village Spa Resort said: “At Vedic Village Spa Resort, we believe true independence is measured by inclusion. For 20 years, our promise has been ‘Freedom in Nature, Freedom to Indulge’. With ‘Freedom to Excel’, we fulfill our DEI commitment and extend that promise to the field. It is a tribute to the grit, talent and resilience of our specially abled sportspersons. We believe that when we create equal opportunities, we create them in life as well. This Independence Day, we celebrate a nation where everyone has the freedom to dream and the freedom to excel.”
Mousumi Kar, Director, Programmes, Foundation to Summit said: “Sport has the power to transform confidence and create a sense of belonging. Our work is to ensure that persons with disabilities have the opportunity, support and ecosystem they need to discover their potential. Freedom to Excel is one step towards building a more inclusive sporting culture.”
The programme was supported by Rotary Club of Calcutta South City, Nicco Park, Indian Plastics Federation, Holiday Hub, R Ginodia & Co., RG Cellulars and Urban Golf.
Sumit Agarwal, DEI Advisor to Fortune 500 companies, SDG Ambassador was the Guest of Honour of the programme. He mentioned that we all need to fix the systems in order to make our workplaces inclusive and accessible for persons with disabilities.

Kakali Kar, Trustee, Foundation to Summit joined Sanjeet Singh, President, Joydip Sur, Vice President and Abhijeet Mukherjee, Director Projects of Rotary Club of Calcutta South City at the closing ceremony of the programme and jointly felicitated the blind and differently abled cricket players. Sanghita Chatterjee, Head of Corporate Communications and Akshay Agarwal, Executive Committee member, representing Indian Plastics Federation and Anish Dasgupta, VP Operations, Chandni Travel Group actively supported the event.
Ahead of the programme, Dr Mahantesh G Kivadasannavar, Chairman, Cricket Association for Blind in India (CABI) in a special video gave this message: “I am happy to know that blind cricketers and physically challenged cricketers will come together for exhibition cricket matches as part of the celebration. This is a wonderful initiative to promote inclusion, equality and sports for persons with disabilities. I wish all the players and organizers a very successful event. I am also happy to know about the Inter-State Women’s Blind Cricket Tournament, which will be held in Kolkata on 27 and 28 October 2026, with teams from Bihar, Assam and West Bengal. Women’s blind cricket needs more opportunities and encouragement. I am sure this tournament will give our women cricketers a good platform to showcase their talent and inspire many others.”