Patna: Differently abled swimmer Mohammad Shams Aalam Shaikh has been selected for the Global Sports Mentoring Program, an initiative created by the US State department, later this month.

The 31-year-old swimmer from Madhubani is the only person from Bihar to be picked for the programme to be held from March 25 to April 29 in collaboration with the University of Tennessee.

"Eighteen emerging leaders from across the world have been selected by the US government for the month-long mentorship programme - Sports for Community - and I am one among them. I would be mentored by persons of international repute on ideas that would be helpful to create sports-related opportunities for people with disabilities and underprivileged women. It is a matter of pride to have been selected for this mentorship programme whose total transport and accommodation expenditure would be borne by the US State department," said Shams told The Telegraph over phone from Mumbai.

A karate black-belt holder, Shams was left paraplegic after a spinal cord injury in 2010. He refused to be cowed down and went on to become a para-swimmer. This Republic Day, Governor Satya Pal Malik honoured him at Raj Bhavan.

Shams thanked the US consulate general, Mumbai, and director for Centre for Sport, Peace and Society of University of Tennessee, Sarah J. Hillyer, for his selection.

"People from 216 countries had sent applications. This is not result of one day," he said, adding that his focus at the programme would be "women empowerment through sports". "The training would equip me with knowledge on how to promote inclusive sport in rural areas, helping differently abled people to hone their talent," Shams, who is eyeing a gold medal in the 2018 Asian Para Games in Indonesia, said.