BENGALURU: The fairways of the Karnataka Golf Association came alive Thursday as EnAble India hosted the fifth edition of The Purple Cup, India’s pioneering inclusive golf tournament that brought together persons with disabilities, corporate leaders, and professional golfers on a shared platform.
Launched in 2021, The Purple Cup uses sport to build awareness and empathy. The tournament aims to bring persons with disabilities into mainstream golf, promote golf for persons with vision impairment, and encourage corporates to drive inclusion beyond workplaces. Over the years, it has introduced more than 120 persons with vision impairment to golf and nurtured a growing community of inclusive golfers through the Purple Academy at KGA.
What began as a simple golf clinic to introduce persons with vision impairment to golf and spark aspirations in the sport has now evolved into the Purple Academy, a structured initiative dedicated to developing inclusive golfing talent. The academy focuses on building skills, and the confidence needed for persons with vision impairment to compete at both national and international levels. Till now, the Purple Academy has primarily focused on golfers with vision impairment. Going forward, its future focus will also be on training coaches and caddies to support golfers with vision impairment. This year, three players nurtured through the Purple Academy participated in The Purple Cup 2025, marking a milestone in the journey towards greater representation on the global stage.
The 2025 edition brought together 104 golfers, including 4 persons with vision impairment, 1 person with autism, 8 juniors, and 8 caddies. Additionally, 14 participants with vision impairment took part in the Golf Clinic, while 44 players engaged in the Putting Range experience. Participants were also given the opportunity to blindfold themselves and experience golf from the perspective of persons with vision impairment, gaining a deeper understanding of focus, coordination, and trust.
The afternoon concluded with Prem Muniyappa emerging as the winner in the Gross category with a score of 34 points. In the 0–9 Gents category, Saif Mehkri and Dayamay Tiwari both scored 37 points. The Ladies category saw Rina Lenka and Arpitha Shaji K. S. securing 36 and 35 points respectively. In the 10–18 Gents category, Nitin Chowdhary topped the leaderboard with 45 points, followed by Ashutosh Majeshwar with 36 points. The 19–24 Gents category was won by Nandan S, a golfer on the autism spectrum, who scored 37 points, and Avinash Sosale came second with 35 points. In the Caddies category, Saravana won with 30 points.
Other prizes included John A (1 ft 9 in) for Straightest Drive (2nd Hole), Prateek Jalan (10 ft) for Closest to Pin (15th Hole), and Mahima (288 yards) for Longest Drive (9th Hole).
A highlight of this year’s tournament was the participation of Ernst Conradie, a world-renowned golfer with vision impairment and coach from South Africa, as part of the Purple Academy initiative. During his visit, Ernst conducted training sessions for golfers with vision impairment, coaches, and caddies. His participation represents a key step for potential international engagement and capacity-building vision, preparing Indian golfers with vision impairment to compete in global tournaments.
Dipesh Sutariya, co-founder, trustee, chairman and managing director, Enable India, said: “The Purple Cup reminds us that inclusion is not created by words, but by action. Every swing here speaks of courage, equality, and shared purpose.”
Over the years, more than 200 golfers have participated in The Purple Cup and over 120 persons with vision impairment have been introduced to golf. The event continues to raise awareness, promote inclusion, and support the disability sector through fundraising and corporate involvement.
The Purple Cup 2025 concluded by reaffirming that inclusion is not about removing differences, but about recognising potential and creating equal ground for every player to excel. With the Purple Academy now taking shape as a bridge to international competition, India’s inclusive golf movement is set to make its mark on the world stage.
