Felicitation Of Achievers With Cerebral Palsy In Mumbai
16 individuals were presented excellence awards for their contributions in various fields in a function on the first World Cerebral Palsy Day organised by an NGO working for the cause.
Organised by ADAPT - Able Disable All People Together (formerly The Spastics Society of India), trophies and certificates were handed out in six different categories to 16 candidates.
"These people did not allow a disability to pull them down but have gone out and lived a full life while contributing to the society. They are not only an inspiration for others with disability, but inspiration to all of us," said Dr. Mithu Alur, founder-chairperson, ADAPT.
The first ever World Cerebral Palsy Day was celebrated across the country Tuesday and will now be celebrated on the first Tuesday of September every year.
Disability organisations from 28 countries - including the USA, Canada, Britain, Australia, Netherlands and even Bangladesh - have come together for the first time in support of 17 million people living with cerebral palsy.
The categories and winners are: Excellence in Academics - Parimal Lokhande and Drashti Bhatt, Excellence in Entrepreneurship - Amit Thakker, Excellence in Activism - Vidhi Sharma and Husein Jetpurwala, Excellence in Corporate Employment - Jasmina Khanna, Excellence in Arts - Divya Arora and Ramakrishnan N. and Excellence in Independent Living - Farhan Contractor.
Internationally renowned film director Shyam Benegal who was present at the function and gave away the award, said: "Cerebral Palsy is one of the most debilitating conditions in life that affects body movements. Despite this there are hundreds of thousands of people who have managed to beat it excelling in different aspects of life."
"And it is only befitting that the rest of us join in celebrating their excellence in different fields," he said.
The award function also saw three panel discussions focused to address the life of those with Cerebral Palsy in India and a candle light vigil.
Source: IANS