The Karnataka High Court has directed the State Government to disburse cash awards to physically challenged athletes who represented India and secured medals at the 7th World Dwarf Games held in August 2017. This decision marks a significant step toward acknowledging the achievements of athletes with disabilities under existing state sports policies.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna issued this directive while allowing a writ petition filed by C.V. Rajanna and others. The court stated, Respondents are directed to grant cash awards to the petitioners as claimed by them in terms of the Government Order dated 30-11-2013. This order shall be complied with within a period of eight weeks.
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The petitioners, who suffer from dwarfism—a condition medically characterized by stunted growth—had participated in the 2017 World Dwarf Games held in Canada. These games, similar in spirit to the Paralympics, provide a global platform for athletes with short stature. The petitioners were among the 26 individuals selected by the Dwarf Sports Federation of India and the Karnataka Sports Association for the Physically Handicapped to represent India at the international event.
Despite securing medals at the games held on August 12, 2017, the athletes did not receive any monetary recognition from the State. Initially, they had approached the High Court in 2021, which had then directed the government to consider their representation. However, the State rejected their plea on January 13, 2022.
Challenging this, the petitioners approached the High Court again. In its latest judgment, the court referred to a previous Division Bench decision in State of Karnataka v. Sri Niranjan Mukundan, dated June 21, 2022, and emphasized that the athletes’ case must be assessed based on the guidelines existing at the time of their participation.
"The Government Order dated 11-12-2015 reiterates the earlier Government Order dated 30-11-2013, which entitles medal winners of world events to cash prizes — ₹10 lakhs for gold, ₹7 lakhs for silver, and ₹5 lakhs for bronze," the court noted.
The State, however, had opposed the petition, arguing that the athletes had participated independently and not under the sponsorship of the State Government. Hence, according to the State, they were not eligible for the cash awards.
Rejecting this reasoning, the court held that such a stance contradicted earlier judicial decisions. The observation that cash prizes cannot be granted as participation was not through the State runs counter to what the Division Bench has held in Writ Appeal No.1189 of 2021, it said.
Furthermore, the court underlined that the impugned government order dated July 28, 2024, which denied benefits to the petitioners, was in direct conflict with the established policies and judicial precedents. The court maintained that the athletes' rights to these awards had been established long before the issuance of the restrictive order dated October 9, 2017.
"The petitioners become entitled to the benefits in terms of the orders of the learned Single Judge and the Division Bench. The impugned order that is passed runs counter to the findings therein and is unsustainable," the court observed.
Advocate Arnav A. Bagalwadi represented the petitioners, while AGA Mohammed Jaffar Shah appeared for the State.
The case, titled CV Rajanna & Others vs. State of Karnataka & Others, was registered as Writ Petition No. 28822 of 2024.
This ruling not only reinstates the rights of the petitioning athletes but also sets a precedent for future cases involving recognition and reward for achievements by differently-abled sportspeople.
Appearance: Advocate Arnav A. Bagalwadi for Petitioners
AGA Mohammed Jaffar Shah for Respondents
Case Title: CV Rajanna & Others AND State of Karnataka & Others
Case No: WRIT PETITION No.28822 OF 2024
