VISAKHAPATNAM: Valasanaini Ravanni, a 19-year-old visually impaired para-athlete from Rangasingipaadu, a tribal hamlet in ASR district, won two bronze medals at the 5th Asian Para Games held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. She secured the medals in the 400m and 1,500m events and said her future goal is to participate in the Olympics and win a medal.
Born on July 24, 2007, Ravanni is the second of five children in a farming family. Three of the siblings are visually impaired. Her interest in sports began in Class III, when she started participating in school, district and State-level competitions.
“I was drawn to sports from a young age, unaware of the opportunities they offered or how they could transform lives. I wanted to take part in everything, despite people saying the visually impaired could achieve little. Such remarks were hurtful, but they motivated me to prove them wrong,” she said.
Ravanni studied up to Class V in her village before joining Netralaya School for visually impaired in Visakhapatnam after her family learnt about it at a medical camp in Paderu. She completed Class X there, pursued Intermediate at Netralaya, Hyderabad, and is now a second-year BA student at Jain University. She initially took up athletics and won several medals at district and State-level competitions.
On her teachers’ suggestion, she also tried cricket and went on to play at the international level. She later joined the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and continued training in athletics. In December 2025, she won three medals at the Youth Asian Para Games in Dubai.
Her selection for the 5th Asian Para Games in Japan was uncertain after the quota for athletes was reduced. Tabres Khan, her guide-runner, said the number of available places was brought down from more than 120 in the previous edition to around 60. India requested additional places, but only two were approved. Ravanni secured one of them.
“We were unsure whether she would get an opportunity. But we continued training and told her that the 2027 World Championships would be another chance if she did not make it this time,” Tabres Khan said.
In Japan, Ravanni competed in the 200m, 400m and 1,500m events. Though she could not qualify for the 200m final, she recorded a personal best in the heats. She won bronze in the 1,500m with a timing of 5:41.64 minutes and another bronze in the 400m, clocking 1:03.64 minutes. Both timings were her personal bests.
Ravanni said she was nervous about competing against experienced athletes, including Olympic medallists. However, winning two medals while representing India made her happy. She credited her coaches, Rahul Balakrishna and Vishal, and her guide-runner for their encouragement and support. Her parents, though not familiar with the technical aspects of sports, have always encouraged her.
For visually impaired athletes in the T11 category, a guide-runner plays an important role during races. Running alongside the athlete, the guide provides directions and helps maintain pace and coordination. Tabres Khan said the partnership requires months of practice, as both must maintain the same stride and follow specific competition rules.
Tabres Khan said guide-runners in India need better recognition and opportunities, as many hesitate to take up the role because they are uncertain about their own sporting prospects. He also acknowledged the support provided by Sports Authority of India, and the Andhra Pradesh Sports Authority and sponsors in providing training facilities and other assistance.
“If there is no guide-runner, we are not there. They tell us who is beside us, who is behind us, how fast we are running and which track we are on,” Ravanni said. She said she hopes to participate in the Olympics in the future and win a medal.