Manipal: Archana Jai Vittal has been selected to represent the country at the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games to be held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, from March 14 to 21, 2019. Archana is a resident of Asare, a home for the mentally challenged, which is a joint project of Archana Trust and Manipal Acadamey for Higher Education (MAHE).
Archana’s father Jai Vittal, Estate officer of MAHE, said that Archana, an international swimmer, will be representing the country at Special Olympics World Summer Games, and will be in Delhi from March 1 to 7 for the final preparatory camp. He added that the sportspersons would be felicitated by Special Olympics Bharat Karnataka, in Bengaluru, on February 28, 2019.
Archana has a number of achievements to her credit, including the Special Olympics Asian pacific games at Australia in December 2014, where she won two bronze medals in swimming (4×25 metres).
She is a recipient of Udupi Dist “Karnataka Rajyotsava Award-2012” for her achievement in sports. She has received the national award in Role Model Category by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi on December 3, 2015.
Archana has received the Aryabhata International award 2016 for excellent contribution of talent and service in the field of sports for the physically and mentally challenged, on May 21, 2017, at Bengaluru.