Purple Fest: Celebrating Diversity, the only event of its kind in India, was held at the Entertainment Society of Goa complex, in Panjim, January 6—8, 2023. The unique festival of inclusion was organised by the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Goa, in collaboration with the Directorate of Social Welfare and Sports Authority of Goa.
The events at the fest included Purple Think Tank, Purple Fun, Purple Experience Zone, Purple Exhibition and Purple Rain. The Purple Think Tank hosted inspirational talks on topics as varied as ‘Self Employment of Persons with Disabilities’, ‘Government’s Role in Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities’ and ‘Careers of Persons with Disabilities’.
The second day saw talks on ‘Inclusive Education for Persons with Hearing Impairment’, ‘Harnessing the Power of Technology for Persons with Blindness and Low Vision in Inclusive Education’, ‘Inclusive Education – A possibility or an Ideal for India?’, ‘Sport – It’s All About Passion, Skills and Inclusion’.
Sethu participated with a stall that made people aware of its services and therapies. The talk ‘Making Inclusive Education a Reality: The Journey from Policy to Pedagogy’ was delivered by Dr Nandita De Souza, developmental paediatrician and Director, Sethu; Neena Jacob, Trustee, Sethu and retired co-ordinator of the Inclusive Education Programme at Fr. Agnel School, Vashi; Anusha Doshi, Head, Inclusive Education Programme, Sethu; and Pooja Desai, special educator, Chubby Cheeks Spring Valley High School, Goa.
The Purple Fun event included activities such as bird walks, Fun at the Beach, Purple Bioscope: Accessible Movie Screening, and cruise rides. The Saksham Car Rally for the Visually Impaired had visually impaired navigators and sighted drivers.
The Purple Experience Zone hosted the Jagruti Mela, Antarchakshu, Museum of Possibilities, Inclusive Carnival and Purple We Care Film Festival.
The Purple Exhibition showcased the latest aids, appliances and products developed by persons with disabilities. It also had live art camps and other fun activities.
Purple Rain had live performances by Ritvik Rajan, We are One, Joyful Choir, Jyothi K, Abhay Kumar Sharma, Udaan music band, Tara – National award winning play and DJ Aamish.
Among the many inspiring individuals we met were a Bangalore-based dentist with muscular dystrophy, and Sangeeta Vishnoi, a para-athlete and regular at marathons across Rajasthan despite having lost an arm and a leg when she was electrocuted as a child.
Dr Nandita De Souza adds, “Purple Fest 2023 – what a tour de force, a delightful melting pot of all that is glorious, joyful and exemplary about neurodiversity. Everyone together, celebrating our uniqueness yet shared humanity. A salute to Mr Guru Pawaskar, the Disability Commissioner of Goa and Mr Taha, the Secretary – two dynamos who ignited the spark and from whom all energy flowed. Very grateful to have the opportunity to participate in the Think Tank and share Sethu’s experiences in inclusive education. It was so heartening to know that there is an army of cheerleaders for social justice in Goa and across India”. Anusha Doshi concluded, “Being part of the Think Tank on 8 January was an experience to remember. It was an honour to be up on stage with Dr Nandita, Neena Jacob and Pooja Desai, who have years of experience under their belt with so many success stories to prove that inclusion can be a reality. The energy in the hall, the passion that came from each presenter as well as the enthusiasm with which discussions took place after the presentation was heartening to see. It was a great place to hear views from different people and organisations on