Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar today felicitated Abilympics medal winners of the Indian Contingent. The felicitation ceremony was organised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.It is for the first time the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has taken a decision to felicitate the abilympic winners.
Speaking on the occasion, the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister congratulated all the medal winners and every member of the Indian Abilympics team for their outstanding effort in bringing glory to the nation. He also thanked the coaches of the team as well as SARTHAK and NAAI for their significant contribution towards this effort.
The event aimed to create public awareness and nurture the productive talent of persons with disability by providing them opportunities to acquire and enhance their vocational skills to achieve economic independence.
The 7 medals, included one Gold, two Silver, three Bronze and one Excellence award won by the 13-member Indian contingent in various skill-based competitions.The Gold medal was won by Chetan Pashilkar from Mumbai, Maharashtra who is Hearing Impaired. and represented India in Skill Category–Painting ‘Waste Reuse’.
He used the theme “Sustainable development using technology” for his painting.The Silver medal winning participants were Priyanka Dabhade from Pune, Maharashtra who represented India in the Skill Category – Embroidery and her Disability is Hearing Impaired, and Kashif Khan from Mumbai (Maharashtra) who represented India in the Skill Category – Patisserie and Confectionery.
The Bronze medal winners were Mohith Majety from Vijaywada, Andhra Pradesh, who has Locomotor Disability and represented India in the Skill Category – Photography, Avinash KS from Mysore, Karnataka, who is Hearing Impaired and represented India in the Skill Category – Jewellery Making and Md. Shamim Alam from Gaya, Bihar who has locomotor disability and represented India in the Skill Category – Tailoring.
Priyanka Dabhade from Pune also won the Medal of Excellence at the 10th International Abilympics for her outstanding work, talent and commitment. In rare moment of appreciation all the 5 judges including the chief judge clapped after Priyanka completed her task.