This festival in Mumbai celebrates diversity and inclusiveness

Nothing can beat the persistence of a mother who needs the world to change for her child For Dr Mithu Alur the indifference and ignorance of a country in the early 1970s towards the issue of cerebral palsy was one of the driving forces for her founding of The Spastics Society of India now called ADAPT ndash Able Disable All People Together There was a time she says when people would not know the difference between spastics and plastics As the latest edition of the ADAPT cultural festival enters its key celebrations today the country and the world is a different and perhaps a better placeSabyasachi Mukherjee director general CSMVS professor Gautam Mandal Catherine Ameno Mithu Alur Prabha Hari and Malini Chib on stageThe society began with three children in Colaba including Alurrsquos own daughter Malini Chib mdash now an established writer and trustee of the NGO The effort was to offer differentlyabled individuals equity in opportunity rather than special facilities ldquoMy vision was that the awareness created will lead to better engagement inclusive education in mainstream schools opportunities for open employment in the public and private sector rather than sheltered workshopsrdquo the Padma Shriawardee sharesParticipants at an art sessionThis International Day of Persons with Disabilities marks a key point in the progress Prabha Hari CEO operations for ADAPT explains ldquoThis festival is a celebration of everything that differentlyabled people bring to society through their participationrdquo The performances feature differentlyabled individuals across spectrums mdash from physical issues neurodivergence autism and visual impairment individuals as wellAn inclusive music performance at the festivalThe opportunity for the community to step up and celebrate like everyone else is not just for symbolic effect Hari says ldquoIt is important to understand that this is just as much a human rights issue Differentlyabled individuals have every right to participate in society its celebrations and events like anyone else To prevent them from doing so goes against their basic human rightsrdquoPrabha HariHowever Hari also insists that the organisation is working hard to not look at the differences as a lsquospecialrsquo quality ldquoThe term special also translates to a certain exclusion and further nonparticipation and nonengagement Romanticising these differences is not good either We need to allow differentlyabled people the luxury of mediocrity and normalcy They should be offered empathy towards their failings and flaws as much as a recognition of their talentrdquoChildren participate in an art workshop at the festivalThe performances featuring neurodiverse individuals a wheelchair performance lead by Malini Chib on the closing day and Raell Padamseersquos ACE Productions teaming up with differentlyabled children in an inclusive performance mark an example of this overarching themeDr Mithu AlurNot an easy task though the founder admits While the laws have brought about changes there is a gap to be bridged in terms of social acceptance ldquoThe felicitation of personalities is a key part of encouraging this One of the focus areas of the ADAPTrsquos rights group is to enable people to step up be visible and vocal about their rightsrdquo she saysA moment from a musical performance at the festWith 52 years behind them there is still work to be done says Hari They say well begun is half done For now the celebration is well deservedTILL December 4 5 pm onwardsAT Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya Grounds FortFREEAlso attend A celebration of skillThe Cerebral Palsy Association of India CPAI will host their annual showcase event with felicitation of individuals and institutions who have set a benchmark in lifeON December 3 5 pm onwardsAT Mumbai University grounds Kalina Santacruz EastLOG ON TO cpaiorginFREE A talk on workplace inclusivityGodrej DEI Lab hosts a panel talk on the workplace inclusivity and challenges facing rights of differentlyabled individualsON December 3 3 pm onwardsAT Godrej One Pirojshanagar Vikhroli EastLOG ON TO GodrejDeilab Create with a differenceA celebration of art and theatre will unite students from privileged and challenged backgrounds led by The Create Foundation the Helen Keller Institute and The Door Step School for the 11th Annual Create Trophy for Artistic ExcellenceON December 7 7 pm onwardsAT St Andrewrsquos Auditorium St Dominic Road Bandra WestCALL 9819076263FREE