A crowdfunding campaign has been launched by the Wheelchair Basketball Federation of India ©WFBI

A crowdfunding campaign has been launched by the Wheelchair Basketball Federation of India (WFBI) in a bid to help the nation send a team to its first-ever international tournament.

The scheme, hosted on the Milaap.org website, aims to raise money so that India can participate at an Under-23 Asia Oceania qualifying event for the World Championships, due to be held in Bangkok in January,

The WBFI are hoping to generate Rs4,912,500 (£57,000/$74,000/€66,000) through the campaign, set up earlier this month. 

A total of Rs11,000 (£127/$166/€148) has been raised so far.

According to the initiative, the money will be used to pay registration fees, food, accommodation, air travel from Chennai to Bangkok, kit for players and coach travel during the event.

It will also help with maintaining the standard and technology of the Indian players’ wheelchairs and to help to pay for a skilled International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) coach.

It is hoped the move will be the first step towards India being represented at the Paralympic Games in team sport as they have only ever competed at the event in individual disciplines.

The news comes after The Agitos Foundation agreed to give the IWBF a development grant for the sport in the Asia-Oceania region.

The crowdfunding scheme aims to raise funds to ensure India can participate at next year's event in Bangkok ©Milaap.org
The crowdfunding scheme aims to raise funds to ensure India can participate at next year's event in Bangkok ©Milaap.org

The development arm of the International Paralympic Committee  has pledged the unknown sum to the sport’s worldwide governing body to grow the amount of women’s teams in the zone.

"There is very minimum support from family, society, government, corporate and Paralympic committees to promote Paralympic team games in India," the crowdfunding campaign reads.

"In this background, Wheelchair Basketball Federation of India WBFI a registered National body working to support WCBB sport in India is struggling to mobilise funds."

The tournament in Bangkok will offer the Indian players the chance to earn a spot at the World Championships, providing they can raise enough money to compete.

The Thai capital was confirmed as the venue for the competition last month.

"I’m really excited at the prospect of having up to 10 teams of young players fighting for the right to represent their zone at next year’s World Championships," IWBF Asia Oceania zone President Saad Alazma said.

"There are a number of nations that are developing teams for the future, and we have seen a significant rise in the number of teams in the Asia Oceania Zone since the qualifiers for the previous World Championships in 2013."

The donation page can be viewed here.