We’ve to be not just friendlier but more empowering of our divyang community. No field is out of bounds for them and there is a huge population of the differently abled that need to be meaningfully integrated in every facet of our society, says Vijay Jodha, who’s been working on disability issues for nearly two decades.
The sterling show of the Indian contingent in the 10th International Abilympics held in Metz in France from 23-26 March 2023, is a case in point. India’s best-ever performance – a tally of seven medals – coming on the back of severe disruptions caused by COVID-19 and uncertainty around venue and dates, makes it an even more extraordinary achievement, says Jodha, who was involved with training three youngsters who represented India in photography at the global skills competition for persons with disability.
A few years back, UNESCO had given Jodha the honour of screening a film and addressing delegates from 193 member countries at their headquarters in Paris on International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
“The success of our medal winners and the media attention helps give a big push to a cause that needs support from various sections – be it policy makers, media or various industries that need to hire them,” asserts Jodha, in an exclusive interview with The News Porter. Excerpts:
Ahmad Hamood: How important is the success of the Indian contingent in the 10th Abilympics?
Vijay Jodha: It’s very important as it is India’s best-ever performance coming on the back of severe disruptions caused by Covid-19 and uncertainty around venue and dates. The Abilympics were originally scheduled for Russia in 2022. We had only a 13-member team competing and picked up total seven medals including one gold and an award for excellence. That’s a strike rate of over 50 percent and is unmatched by even our contingents to various Olympics, Asian Games etc. We finished 7th overall and ahead of resource-rich countries like Australia and Canada.
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AH: Indian participants are bringing laurels to the country in the global skills competition for the differently abled. Will this help raise awareness of the challenges that the differently abled face on a day-to-day basis?
VJ: Of course. The central purpose of Abilympics is not only to reward the best in a given field but to encourage greater inclusion of the differently abled in various fields. With 45 events, each demanding its own skill set, the message goes out that the differently abled have skills to participate and excel in these fields like anyone else and need to be encouraged.
The success of our medal winners and the media attention has added awareness that almost no field is out of bounds for them. This helps give a big push to a cause that needs support from various sections – be it policy makers, media or various industries that need to hire them.
AH: Is there a need for the public spaces in our country to be more friendly to the differently abled?
VJ: Oh absolutely. About 10 to 15 percent of our people deal with some kind of physical challenge. Add to this the increasing instance of lifestyle-induced diseases, late-stage disability coming from accidents (we have the highest number of car accidents in the world) – all these things imply that there is a huge population of the differently-abled that need to be meaningfully integrated in every facet of our society. We have to be not just friendlier but more empowering of our divyang community.
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AH: What has been your role in the Indian contingent?
VJ: I have been working on disability issues for about two decades. In fact, a few years back UNESCO had given me the honour of screening a film and address delegates from 193 member countries at their headquarters in Paris on International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
So this issue is very close to my heart. In the context of this Abilympics campaign, for well over a year I was involved with training three youngsters who represented India in photography. This training was physically in Delhi where NAAI (National Abilympics Association of India) had organised a series of boot camps with various trainers and participants. Some of my training was long distance via emails, documents, video links and zoom interactions.
One of my students, Mohith Majety from Vijayawada, who won bronze medal in photography, had got admission in MBA in Paris and had shifted there. Except for the last two days before the competition when I was also in France, all his training and interaction had to be done long distance.
AH: How was the team’s meeting with the President of India?
VJ: Since our return, the team and its enablers i.e., the various trainers, NAAI and Sarthak Educational Trust have been felicitated by various ministers and dignitaries. Meeting the President was the ultimate honour for us. She was very encouraging of our efforts and lauded us for bringing honour to the country. She said that our medallists would inspire others in India’s divyang community to strive for greater heights.
AH: Tell us about some of the star performers at the event.
VJ: There were quite a few such as our gold medallist Chetan Pashilkar, a hearing-impaired artist who topped in painting and waste reuse. Priyanka Dabade missed the gold to China by a whisker – just two points, in embroidery. She is hearing impaired too and works as a teacher at YMCA School for the hearing impaired in Mumbai. Mohammed Kashif Akbar won a silver in patisserie-confectionery. Avinash K. S. won a bronze in jewellery-making while Mohammed Shamim Alam got a bronze in tailoring. Our other bronze medallist in photography – Mohith Majety is an IIT-trained engineer by profession and has 45% locomotor disability.
Then there were others who did not get a medal but have a high achievement behind them such as P. Sai Krishnan – one of the persons whom I trained. He is an engineer working with HCL. He drew a blank this time but is a silver medallist and winner of Medal of Excellence in photography from past editions of the Abilympics, and is also a state shooting champion in Tamil Nadu. Manhar Chauhan is a professional photographer running a photo studio in Surat. They are all coming from very humble backgrounds and small towns across India.
AH: What is the role of the society/community in providing a healthy and happy environment to the differently abled?
VJ: I think society has a very crucial role to play. The government or NGOs can only do so much. Finally, the encouragement and acceptance have to come from families and society itself. Prejudices and negative approach to the divyang is the biggest hurdle they face. This is way bigger than any physical hurdle. Rather than seeing them as a problem we should see them as assets. In my experience with the differently abled, those that have had the opportunity of education and skilling, have qualities such as being focused and the tenacity to succeed in a manner that rest of us don’t.
Years ago, I recall filming some visually impaired workers in a BPO for a documentary. I found that among the dozens of youngsters working in that firm, they were the only ones not distracted by their mobile phones or chitchatting with their neighbour when their supervisor wasn’t around. I have seen those doing telemarketing. They had no notes to refer to and had to memorise everything. Even the simple act of commuting to school or work or using the washroom is a daily battle for them. Even our Abilympic team. There is a story of struggle and perseverance behind each of them and whether they won a medal or not, each one is a winner for me.
Vijay Jodha on left in the main/featured picture on the top
