A change in people’s mindset towards the 'Divyangjan' or differently-abled was called for by Vice-President of India M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday, April 17. He also stated that it is the responsibility of both the government and society to prevent any kind of discrimination against them.
Stressing the need for creating an environment for them to thrive and excel, the Vice-President said, "they do not need our sympathy, they rightfully deserve every opportunity to develop their full potential.”
It was while speaking at the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID) in Hyderabad that he shared these thoughts. He even appreciated NIEPID for its work in empowering persons with intellectual disabilities.
The VP cited the positive impact of the Accessible India campaign and pointed out that accessibility was an important intervention for disabled people. He also motivated innovators to come up with more interventions in the areas of environment, transport, information and communication systems.
Naidu also mentioned that it was crucial for teachers and non-teaching staff in schools to be sensitised towards the needs of differently-abled children.
While suggesting that it was important "to ensure that technology does not exclude differently-abled people", he implored national institutions and universities in India to accelerate their work relating to accessible smart technology.
In order to make Divyangja people financially independent, Naidu made a pitch for all-round efforts for identifying and honing their skills from a young age.
He also urged everyone including the government, private sector, civil society and families, to take initiatives to empower the differently-abled and fulfil their duty or 'dharma' after recalling the core values of India which include Sarvejana Sukhino Bhavantu (Let the people of the world be happy) and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The world is one family).
The VP also laid stress on the importance of early detection and identification of children at risk for disability conditions.
For early detection of disability risk among children, he recommended NIEPID to tie up with institutions like the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology.