Panaji: International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) 2024 was celebrated on Thursday, December 5, at Sanjay Centre for Special Education.
The event was graced by the presence of several distinguished dignitaries, including Chief Guest Subhash Phal Dessai, Minister for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Guest of Honour E Vallavan, IAS, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Guruprasad Pawaskar, State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Varsha Naik, Director, Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, and Taha Haaziq, Secretary, Office of the Commissioner of Persons with Disabilities.
Also present were Dr. Raju Arakh, Officer In-charge, EC-Goa, AYJNISHD(D), Mumbai, Dr. Mathew Martin PJ, AYJNISHD(D), Mumbai, Prof. Sanskruti Ayir, Assistant Professor of Public Administration, Manohar Parrikar School, Goa University, and Dr. Asavari Shinde, AYJNISHD(D), Mumbai.
On the occasion, author, poet, and artist Ms. Fredricka Menezes was felicitated by the Minister for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Subhash Phal Dessai.
Master Ethan A Sebastian, a 10-year-old student from Sanjay Centre for Special Education, Porvorim, was also felicitated for his achievements in martial arts. Ethan recently made India proud by winning a gold medal at the World Kickboxing Championship in Spain, where he was the first autistic child to represent the country.
Speaking on the occasion, State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Guruprasad Pawaskar, expressed happiness about the progress being made to uplift the lives of persons with disabilities in Goa.
He appreciated the presence of various industrialists who’ve come forward to celebrate this important day and make a difference. “Today, we are providing financial support to NGOs working in the field of disabilities. This is just the beginning, and we will ensure that the NGOs receiving support today will be the ones giving back by the next International Day of Persons with Disabilities,” Pawaskar said.
Varsha Naik, Director, Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, also commended the relentless efforts of NGOs working in the field of disabilities. “The work done by NGOs has been instrumental in creating meaningful opportunities for persons with disabilities, and our department is committed to providing them with the necessary support to continue these initiatives. Together, we are actively working towards ensuring that persons with disabilities in Goa have access to equal opportunities and an inclusive society,” Naik said.
The event saw art connoisseurs purchase paintings by international artist Madam Sharma, which were on auction for the cause of persons with disabilities. A blood donation camp was also organised on the occasion in collaboration with the Blood Bank Goa Medical College.
