President Ramnath Kovind says that the future of the country depends on ensuring all citizens have the capacity to realise their full potential
Giving the examples of Stephen Hawking and Vedic sage Ashtavakra, President Ramnath Kovind on Sunday said only a country that respects and empowered the differently-abled can claim to be developed in the true sense. The President was conferring the National Awards for the Disabled to over 52 individuals and organisations that have shown exemplary performance this year.
"Britain resident Stephen Hawking's name is an exemplary one among the differently-abled all over the world for being a person who overcame his physical disabilities and know today as one of the greatest scientists of the world. Save for his brain, no part of Hawking's body can function on its own and yet with his determination and the help of technology, Hawkins has contributed immensely to the field of science," said the President. He also spoke about the life and times of the Vedic sage Ashtavakra whose body was bent in eight places.
President Kovind said that the future of the country depends on ensuring all citizens have the capacity to realise their full potential. "To achieve this goal, we have to create a sensitive and harmonious society, where every person feels empowered – and a society of empathy, where one person feels the pain of another. Only when the disabled people in a country can avail equal benefits, a country can claim to be truly developed," said the president.
Among the 52 categories of awards that were presented by the President, awards were given to people with blindness, cured leprosy, hearing impairment, locomotor disability, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, mental illness, autism and multiple disabilities for excelling in various fields and for being role models. Awards were also given to organisations for being ideal employers.
While Madurai won the award for the best district in providing rehabilitation care, not a single made the cut to be adjudged as the best and the award was not handed out to anyone. Similarly, not a single government organisation, public sector undertaking (PSU) or autonomous and local government body won any award for in the best employer category as well as the category for the best accessible website.
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