Special child from Army-run ASHA centre earns Athletics Championship Nat’l Trial spot

Guwahati: A special child from the Army-run ASHA Rehabilitation Centre at Narengi Military Station has been selected for the Athletics Championship National Trial.Ayushman Mahanta from Assam’s Nagaon district will represent Assam in the sub-junior category in the 100 metre and 200 metre sprints, with trials scheduled in Feb in New Delhi.Ayushman joined the ASHA Centre in July 2024, where coaches identified and nurtured his interest in sports.“His competitive journey began in Oct 2024 through events organised by the Special Olympics Bharat (SOB), Assam chapter, where he secured podium finishes, setting the stage for his rapid progress,” the official statement by the defence PRO read.In 2025, Mahanta won gold medals in the 100 metres and 200 metres at Khel Maharan 2.0 and the Assam Para Sports Meet organised by the Paralympic Association of Assam. He also won gold and silver medals in sprint and relay events at other state-level meets.“With regular training at Special Olympics Bharat facilities and focused coaching at Narangi Military Station through the Army run ASHA Rehabilitation Center, Ayusman progressed from grassroots participation to national-level selection,” the statement further read.The selection highlights the role of the Army’s ASHA Centre in supporting children through sports. Mahanta cited Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s words: “Excellence is a continuous process, not an accident.”