Star Sports and 2 Deaf Individuals Honoured with National Awards
On International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Deaf achievers Ashutosh and Kanika, along with Star Sports, were honored for their contributions to empowerment and accessibility.
3rd December 2024 was celebrated as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities across the world. The day aims to raise awareness about people with disabilities, helping society understand, respect, and include them. In India, the Government celebrates this day by giving national awards to individuals and organizations that have shown great strength and done amazing work to improve the lives of people with disabilities.
This year, 33 people and organizations were honored with national awards. The awards ceremony took place in New Delhi and was attended by Hon'ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar, and Secretary of the Department of Employment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Shri Rajesh Agarwal, among other dignitaries.
Among the award winners were two remarkable Deaf individuals and ISH’s partner, Star Sports.
Ashutosh – A Deaf Role Model
One of the award winners, Shri Ashutosh, is a talented Deaf model and theatre artist. He has done excellent work in modeling and drama, gaining recognition for his skills. Ashutosh won the Mr. India Plus 2021 title, along with several other national awards. He is an inspiration for many Deaf people, showing them that anything is possible with dedication. Ashutosh also works towards promoting social equality and awareness for the Deaf community.
Kanika Mukesh Agarwal – Empowering Deaf Education
Another award winner, Ms. Kanika Mukesh Agarwal, is a Deaf teacher who has made a significant impact on Deaf education in India. Kanika has worked hard to improve accessibility and empower Deaf students. She has created inclusive teaching programs in Maharashtra and helped teach Deaf children in rural areas. Kanika’s efforts have improved the educational performance of many Deaf children and are helping them build careers and live independently.
Both Ashutosh and Kanika were honored with the Shreshth Divyangjan-2024 award in the category of National Award for Individual Excellence.
Star Sports – Making Sports Accessible
A special recognition was given to ISH’s partner, Star Sports, for their groundbreaking work in making sports accessible for the Deaf. This year, Star Sports made the IPL and ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 accessible for the Deaf community for the first time ever. They achieved this by providing live Sign Language commentary and descriptive audio during the matches, ensuring that everyone could enjoy the excitement of cricket equally. The collaboration between ISH and Star Sports has set a new trend in making sports inclusive, showing how sports can unite people from all backgrounds.
Star Sports received the National Award 2024 for Institutions Engaged in Empowering Persons with Disabilities, recognizing their efforts in making sports more inclusive.
Government's Efforts for Empowering Persons with Disabilities
During the event, Union Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar and Secretary Shri Rajesh Aggarwal spoke about Prime Minister Modi’s commitment to the development of persons with disabilities. They also highlighted the importance of promoting Indian Sign Language and shared several initiatives by the Government to empower people with disabilities in India.
In her speech, Hon’ble President Smt. Droupadi Murmu praised the courage, determination, and achievements of persons with disabilities, calling them a source of inspiration for society.
This year’s celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities has once again shown that people with disabilities are making a huge difference in society. Their strength, talent, and resilience continue to inspire others, and they are proving that they are capable of achieving great things.
