Fomento Media’s ‘City on Cycle that is set to be organised today, is aimed at spreading awareness about clean air and pollution-free travel, but it also promises to go above and beyond its core goal, to underline another important message-that of social inclusivity.
In a unique gesture, a participant from Disability Rights Association of Goa is set to take part in ‘City on Cycle’.
In an interview with TG Life, VIshant Nagvekar highlighted what DRAG seeks to achieve through his participation in City on Cycle.
“Differently abled people are not generally invited to be a part of events such as City on Cycle. Through this initiative, we are trying to highlight the need for inclusion, not just in sports, but in other areas of society as well,” said Nagvekar. He further stated that asking even the partially disabled people to go to special schools instead of inclusive mainstream schools is a kind of discrimination, and it is not easily noticed, even by parents of such children.
“Similarly, differently abled people are sometimes perceived to be incapable because of their bodily differences, even when it comes to jobs that would need sharpness of mind, and not body-movement. This has to stop,” elaborated the CoC participant. The initiative by DRAG to participate in CoC will also give voice to sports-related issues and perceptions of differently-abled people, said Nagvekar.
“When you think of a wheelchair for instance, many people will think of a hospital-patient’s wheelchair. But consider the fact that there are different models of a wheelchair, including what we call an ‘active wheelchair’, and ‘sports wheelchairs’, which are priced higher than normal wheelchairs. We need more of such active and sports wheelchairs at DRAG,” said the DRAG member. Because of factors such as wheelchairs and other aids, the differently abled face higher expenses than regular people, but do not always get the required pay at jobs, said Nagvekar.
