The glory belongs to the best and the International Purple Fest Goa 2024 in Goa drew to a glorious conclusion on Saturday, January 13, with the triumph of the superlative abilities of persons with disabilities.
From January 8 to 13, immense athleticism, sheer grit and the never-say-die spirit took centre stage across multiple sports disciplines, including the prestigious National Para Athletics Championship at Bambolim.
The Fest saw the purple sports segment develop into a frenzied, competitive battleground producing intriguing contests and passionate participation from athletes across all domains of disabilities.
The week-long celebration of inclusivity, diversity, and empowerment, concluded with a spectacular closing ceremony.
Organized by the State Commissioner’s Office for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and the Goa Directorate of Social Welfare in collaboration with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, the festival brought together Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) from India and 17 countries.
Nearly 13,000 delegates from 17 countries across the world participated in the International Purple Fest this year, claimed Chief Minister Pramod Sawant during the concluding ceremony of the six-day event.
Dedicated global YouTube channel Purple TV Bharat, 24x7 services for Persons with Disabilities (PwD), India’s first cloud-based IVRS ‘Disability Information Line’ (DIL) services on toll free number 1800222014 etc were launched during the festival. The festival is India's first-of-its-kind inclusive festival that celebrates persons with disabilities(PwD)s.
“You are not defined by your challenges but you are defined by the strength by which you have overcome them,” CM told the delegates referring to them as purple friends.
A total of nine panel discussions were held at the fest, covering critical subjects such as assistive technology, health insurance, education and employment for persons with disabilities, political inclusion of persons with disabilities, desegregated data, sensors and social inclusion, and promoting new leadership.
During the festival, a member of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP), Akshay Jain, emphasised the importance of disaggregated data for informed decision-making and policymaking for persons with disabilities.
He said, “Disaggregated data is crucial for informed decision-making and policymaking for persons with disabilities. It empowers us to develop appropriate schemes and policies. Individuals also play a role by identifying themselves with disabilities.”
He added that in India, despite being the most populous country, the reported disability rate of 2.2 per cent seems incongruent with global estimates, prompting a critical panel discussion on the accuracy of the data.
