{"id":13836,"date":"2026-11-04T15:41:57","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T15:41:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=13836"},"modified":"2026-11-04T15:41:57","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T15:41:57","slug":"divyangjan-deserve-opportunities-dignity-and-encouragement-not-sympathy-governor-kavinder-gupta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=13836","title":{"rendered":"Divyangjan Deserve Opportunities, Dignity and Encouragement, Not Sympathy: Governor Kavinder Gupta."},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><h1>Divyangjan Deserve Opportunities, Dignity and Encouragement, Not Sympathy: Governor Kavinder Gupta.<\/h1>\n<h2>Governor honours Himachal&#8217;s special athletes and coaches for international achievements; applauds state&#8217;s contribution to World Winter Games; urges people to support products made by children with special needs.<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Shimla:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Governor Kavinder Gupta on Wednesday emphasised the need to create an inclusive society that provides persons with disabilities equal opportunities, dignity, encouragement and respect, enabling them to realise their full potential. He said that persons with disabilities should not be viewed with sympathy but should be recognised for their abilities, talent and achievements.<\/p>\n<p>The Governor was addressing Deepawali Fest 2026 \u2013 Celebrating the Abilities of Special Children, organised by Special Olympics Bharat, Himachal Pradesh, at Sundernagar in Mandi district. The event celebrated the achievements, creativity and abilities of children with special needs and provided a platform to recognise their contributions in sports and other fields.<\/p>\n<p>Addressing the gathering, the Governor said that the outstanding performances of Himachal Pradesh&#8217;s special athletes at international sporting events had brought pride and recognition to the state as well as the country. Their achievements reflected determination, courage, discipline and the spirit of excellence, demonstrating that physical and intellectual challenges could not prevent individuals from achieving remarkable success when provided with appropriate opportunities and support.<\/p>\n<p>Highlighting the initiatives taken by the Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gupta said inclusive development and social participation had received special attention, with the objective of ensuring that no section of society was left behind. He said the Prime Minister&#8217;s vision was transforming persons with disabilities from recipients of sympathy into partners in progress by providing them opportunities to demonstrate their abilities and contribute to nation-building.<\/p>\n<p>The Governor particularly appreciated the Central Government&#8217;s decision to include Special Olympics medal winners in its cash award scheme for the first time in 2015. He said the decision had addressed a long-standing gap in recognising the sporting achievements of athletes with intellectual disabilities. The subsequent revision of the scheme in 2025 further reflected the government&#8217;s commitment to encouraging and rewarding their talent.<\/p>\n<p>Congratulating Himachal Pradesh&#8217;s athletes for their achievements at the World Winter Games in Turin, the Governor honoured Shalini, Anil Kumar, Aakriti, Giridhar and Hemchand for winning medals. He also appreciated Shivanjali and Shubham for their performances at the international sporting event.<\/p>\n<p>He acknowledged the contribution of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) in supporting sports centres in Himachal Pradesh, which helped seven athletes and four coaches from the state participate in the World Winter Games. He also appreciated the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), coaches, educational institutions, organisations and families for their continuous support in identifying, training and nurturing special athletes.<\/p>\n<p>The Governor said that the achievements of these athletes were not merely individual successes but also an inspiration for society to recognise talent beyond physical and intellectual limitations. He stressed that families, educational institutions and social organisations must work together to provide children with special needs opportunities to participate in sports, education, cultural activities and other areas of life.<\/p>\n<p>Appreciating the cultural performances presented by children associated with Chetna Sanstha, Sakar Special School, Sahyog Special School, CRC and other institutions, he said such platforms helped children develop confidence, express their creativity and demonstrate their capabilities.<\/p>\n<p>Referring to the Special Olympics Bharat slogan, &#8216;Each One \u2013 Reach One&#8217;, the Governor urged citizens, families and educational institutions to actively participate in the movement for inclusion. He said collective efforts were necessary to ensure that every child received respect, encouragement and equal opportunities to progress.<\/p>\n<p>The Governor also visited an exhibition showcasing the activities and initiatives of various participating institutions. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#8217;s &#8216;Vocal for Local&#8217; initiative, he appealed to people to purchase products displayed at the stalls and prepared by children with special needs. He said purchasing their products would not only support their creative efforts but also strengthen their confidence, encourage entrepreneurship and promote economic self-reliance.<\/p>\n<p>Extending Diwali greetings to athletes, parents, teachers, trainers and organisers, Gupta called for building a society where every individual could live with dignity, enjoy equal opportunities and pursue their aspirations without discrimination.<\/p>\n<p>President of Special Olympics Bharat, Dr. Malika Nadda, said the organisation was committed to bringing persons with intellectual developmental disabilities into the mainstream through its &#8216;Inclusion Revolution&#8217;, founded on the principles of equality, unity and harmony. She said the organisation provided children with special needs opportunities to showcase their abilities through sports, education and health-related initiatives.<\/p>\n<p>Highlighting India&#8217;s achievements in international competitions, Dr. Nadda said Indian athletes had won 202 medals at the 2023 World Summer Games held in Berlin. At the 2025 World Winter Games in Italy, the Indian contingent secured 33 medals.<\/p>\n<p>She particularly highlighted Himachal Pradesh&#8217;s remarkable contribution, stating that 15 of the 30 Indian athletes were from the state and had collectively won 22 of India&#8217;s 33 medals. She also thanked the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for awarding a total of Rs. 2.56 crore to 28 athletes. Emphasising the importance of strengthening sports facilities, she called for the development of accessible sports infrastructure to enable more children with special needs to participate in sporting activities and achieve excellence.<\/p>\n<p>BBMB Chairman Manoj Tripathi gave a detailed account of the Board&#8217;s activities, its contribution to the development of Himachal Pradesh and its future plans.<\/p>\n<p>President of Special Olympics Bharat, District Mandi Chapter, Jagdish Rana, welcomed the Governor and briefed him about the programme.<\/p>\n<p>Deputy Commissioner Mandi Apoorv Devgan, BBMB officials, district administration officers, representatives of participating institutions, coaches, parents and other prominent persons were also present on the occasion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Divyangjan Deserve Opportunities, Dignity and Encouragement, Not Sympathy: Governor Kavinder Gupta. Governor honours Himachal&#8217;s special athletes and coaches for international achievements; applauds state&#8217;s contribution to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" data-url=https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=13836><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13837,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13836","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-himachal-news","category-latest-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.9.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Divyangjan Deserve Opportunities, Dignity and Encouragement, Not Sympathy: Governor Kavinder Gupta. - The Eagle News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=13836\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Divyangjan Deserve Opportunities, Dignity and Encouragement, Not Sympathy: Governor Kavinder Gupta. - The Eagle News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Divyangjan Deserve Opportunities, Dignity and Encouragement, Not Sympathy: Governor Kavinder Gupta. 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