PORVORIM: A Desh Bhakti Geet Gayan Spardha was organised exclusively for Persons with Disabilities by the Office of the State Commission for Persons with Disabilities and Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities under the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ Campaign in collaboration with the Disability Alliance for Inclusive Goa and the Rotary Club of Panjim, to celebrate the outstanding performances of individuals with disabilities across Goa.
The first-place prize was awarded to Vibha Kanekar, followed by Stany D’Souza in second place, and Amintaj Nashipudi securing third place.
Rajya Sabha MP, Sadanand Shet Tanavade was the chief guest. Other attendees included Varsha Naik, Director, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Guruprasad Pawaskar, State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Siddharth Kuncolinkar, Chairman, Sanjay Centre for Special Education, Taha Haaziq, Secretary, State Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Neetal Amonkar, Member Secretary, Sanjay Centre for Special Education, Patrick D’Souza, President, Disability Alliance for Inclusion Goa, and Vishant Nagvekar, Member, Disability Alliance for Inclusive Goa. Senior Journalist Prakash Kamat, Avelino D’sa, President, Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG), Tanvi Atreya Sawant, President, Rotary Club Panaji Rivera, Shiva Baba Naik, and Ann Rahul Nadkarni also attended the event.
In a heart-warming conclusion to the Desh Bhakti Geet Gayan Spardha for Persons with Disabilities, the prize distribution ceremony took place at Manohar Parrikar Memorial Hall, Sanjay Centre for Special Education, Porvorim, Goa.
Speaking on the occasion, Tanavade, said: “I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to State Commissioner Guruprasad Pawaskar for his unwavering dedication and tireless efforts in organising innovative programmes that uplift and empower persons with disabilities in Goa. His vision, combined with the enthusiastic support of NGOs like Rotary Clubs and many others, has truly transformed Goa into a vibrant state in the disability sector. The continuous introduction of new schemes and initiatives is a testament to the collective commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of those with disabilities.”
The competition was judged by Surjit Thally and Vishnu Shirodkar, who evaluated the performances based on song selection, clarity, confidence, rhythm, melody, and overall presentation. Manjiri Jog compered and coordinated the event. The event concluded with a message of unity and patriotism, highlighting the importance of inclusivity in all aspects of life.
