The Cornhole (Baggo) game which is highly popular in the USA, Canada and Europe, was brought home to India during its formal launch by Special Olympics Bharat through its Odisha chapter in an event held at the Bharati Rath Memorial Academy of Special Human Abilities (BRM-ASHA) in Bhubaneswar.
The Game was demonstrated and rules explained in a live webinar attended by more than 170 people consisting of coaches, officials and athletes of Special Olympics Bharat from across the country.
Prakash K Rath, Area Director of Odisha was the Chief Resource Person who conducted the demonstration game played by athletes and partners ably supported by Arpita Mohapatra, Kalandi Charan Bhoi and Jyoti Ranjan Das.
The facilitators from Special Olympics Bharat, Delhi were Victor R Vaz, National Sports Director, Sulekha Rana, Director Sports, Mukta NarainThind, National Director (Organisation Development) and Raman Rekhi, National Director (Communications).
The Game was earlier introduced in Odisha by Arpita Mohapatra, one of the 50 Game Changers in the World for Special Olympics International, USA at NijogaKasoti in Nimapada block on 3rd December 2020 on the occasion of celebration of International Day for the Persons with Disabilities where 50 athletes, partners and coaches participated.
Subsequently, on January 9, a webinar had been held to conduct the theory session taken by Rath.
The Game has been categorised in the “Developmental Sports” for Special Olympics Bharat that will be taken up as a project with the support of Herbalife India. The initiative of Special Olympics Bharat-Odisha in introducing a new Game and promoting it has been highly appreciated by the National Sports Federation and by all the State Chapters. .
