{"id":61211,"date":"2025-12-23T16:15:27","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T10:45:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prevalentindia.in\/index.php\/2025\/12\/23\/creating-an-inclusive-tomorrow-kolkata-observes-international-day-for-persons-with-disabilities-2025\/"},"modified":"2025-12-23T16:15:27","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T10:45:27","slug":"creating-an-inclusive-tomorrow-kolkata-observes-international-day-for-persons-with-disabilities-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prevalentindia.in\/index.php\/2025\/12\/23\/creating-an-inclusive-tomorrow-kolkata-observes-international-day-for-persons-with-disabilities-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating an Inclusive Tomorrow: Kolkata Observes International Day for Persons with Disabilities 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p><strong>Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], December 23: <\/strong>Nabajatak Child Development Centre, in association with ANVolife Foundation, SkilledIQ Educational Trust, and the Rotary Club of Kolkata Benevolence, successfully organised the International Day for Persons with Disabilities \u2013 2025. The event brought together experts, parents, students, and community members for an engaging evening dedicated to advancing inclusion, accessibility, and empowerment.<\/p>\n<p>The programme was held in the esteemed presence of Dr. S. Govindaraj, Commissioner, PWD, Ministry of Social Justice &amp; Empowerment, Government of India, and Dr. Ramendu Homchoudhury, District Governor, RID 3291. The evening opened with introductory remarks and a formal welcome of dignitaries.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-94510 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/prevalentindia.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/PNN-2025-12-23T145759082.jpg\" alt=\"Kolkata\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>Dr S. Govindaraj, Commissioner, PWD, Ministry of Social Justice &amp; Empowerment, Government of India, addressed the occasion, stating,<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThe International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) has its origins in the tragic events of 1981, and therefore it is a day that should be observed rather than celebrated. Its purpose is to remind governments and organisations of their responsibility to introduce impactful schemes and uphold their social duty by advancing education, employment, and dignity for persons with disabilities. Over time, the terminology has shifted from \u2018handicapped\u2019 to \u2018physically challenged,\u2019 and now to \u2018Divyangjan,\u2019 reflecting a move from a welfare model to a social model inspired by the UNCRPD and the RPD Act 2016. Today, the focus must be on inclusivity, accessibility, and fostering empathy that leads to empowerment.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Dr. Ramendu Homchoudhury, District Governor, RID 3291, addressed the gathering, stating that World AIDS Day is a solemn day of remembrance. He highlighted how discussions often move from post-birth disabilities to a far more serious pre-birth, permanent condition\u2014Thalassemia\u2014a century-old genetic disorder sustained by lack of awareness and silence. He explained that when two carriers marry, their child is at significant risk, and those affected require lifelong blood transfusions. This results in a nationwide demand of over two million units of blood annually, straining India\u2019s blood banks and costing thousands of crores, along with immense suffering for the children. He emphasised that the purpose of the event is to raise awareness and break the silence surrounding this genetic disorder.<\/p>\n<p>A wheelchair donation ceremony added significance to the occasion, highlighting the collective effort to support mobility and independence for children with disabilities.<\/p>\n<p>The event featured two major panel discussions. The first session focused on \u201cInclusive Healthcare: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Accessibility,\u201d where specialists from fetal medicine, neonatology, developmental physiotherapy, and optometry discussed the growing need for integrated systems of care. The second panel explored \u201cFrom Awareness to Action: Education, Policy, and Community Empowerment,\u201d offering perspectives from the fields of medical genetics, dentistry, mental wellness, and organisational leadership.<\/p>\n<p>These discussions emphasised the importance of collaborative, long-term strategies for strengthening disability inclusion.<\/p>\n<p>Interspersed between the discussions were spotlight presentations that showcased the Kolkata Development Model, highlighted collaborative work between Nabajatak, SkilledIQ, and Asha CDC, and shared an inspiring journey of overcoming barriers through martial arts. These presentations broadened the lens of inclusion by demonstrating real-life progress, community initiatives, and individual achievements.<\/p>\n<p>The programme concluded with an interactive session involving parents, followed by a vote of thanks, group photographs, and networking. The event collectively reinforced the commitment of all participating organisations and stakeholders to work towards an accessible, informed, and inclusive future for persons with disabilities.<\/p>\n<p><em>If you have any objection to this press release content, kindly contact pr.error.rectification@gmail.com to notify us. We will respond and rectify the situation in the next 24 hours.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], December 23: Nabajatak Child Development Centre, in association with ANVolife Foundation, SkilledIQ Educational Trust,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":61212,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[228],"tags":[580],"class_list":["post-61211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","tag-national"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/prevalentindia.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/prevalentindia.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/prevalentindia.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prevalentindia.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prevalentindia.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61211"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/prevalentindia.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61211\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prevalentindia.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/prevalentindia.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prevalentindia.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prevalentindia.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}