Mumbai:  CavinKare Ability Awards, one-of-a-kind awards in the country that recognize and reward the achievements of persons with disabilities, this year honored 4 achievers from across the county, in a grand event that took place at The Sri MuthaVenkatasubbaRao Auditorium, Chetpet, Chennai, in the gracious presence of several eminent personalities, celebrities and successful social entrepreneurs.

An inspiring song ‘Ulagamondru” written by lyricist Thamarai, and set to music bySrinivas, was presented in an acoustic versionby leading singers.A vibrant presentation of folk dances of India choreographed by John Britto, and performed by actor Padmapriya and dancers from the TirupurSchool for the deaf and the John Britto’s Dance Company lent colour to the evening.

The CavinKare Ability Awards are jointly instituted by CavinKare Pvt. Ltd., a leading FMCG corporate and Ability Foundation, a national NGO for the empowerment of persons with disabilities. Each year, exceptional achievers from across the country are recognized. Individuals thus identified are those who have defied conventional, social, attitudinal, physical and emotional barriers to realize their dreams.

The Awards come in two categories: Eminence & Mastery. The Eminence Award is a single award given to just one individual, saluting the exemplary achievement of a person who has not just overcome great odds towards achievement but has also contributed significantly to the society by initiating an organization of his/her own. This award carries a citation, a trophy and a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh. The Mastery Awards include three awards given to three individuals with disability in recognition of their extraordinary achievement in any field of their choice. These awards carry a citation, a trophy, and a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh, each.

Call for nominations for CavinKare Ability Awards are announced through vigorous advertisements in all national media – print, television and radio and also through other organizations.  The nominations thus received are meticulously screened and short listed, based on the difficulty level of the work done, triumph over adversity and uniqueness of the task accomplished.

A panel of eminent jury members from all walks of life who are nationally known celebrities, take the final call from amidst not just the nomination forms but also the interviews conducted by regional representatives and the film taken at that time.

This year’s recipients are:

The CavinKare ABILITY Award for EMINENCE

MAHESH KINTH  Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh

Mahesh has dedicated his life to the rehabilitation and education of children with disabilities.  Having acquired a disability as a result of a road accident, his life has, since then, been a series of initiatives for persons with disabilities. Beginning in 2002 with the founding of the Prerna Institute of Rehabilitation & Research in Jammu & Kashmir, then setting up the Aadhar Foundation in 2010 in Chhindwara district, Mahesh Kinth’s life has been a series of unstoppable triumphs, notwithstanding all the hurdles and obstacles he has had to contend with.

The CavinKare ABILITY MASTERY Awards

BIJU VARGHESE  Pathanamthitta, Kerala

Biju’s efforts have enabled hundreds of people to lead independent lives today. He currently holds the license from Automotive Research Association India to alter 56 models of 13 auto brands for persons with disabilities. In recognition of his work, he received the National innovation award in 2007.

SANGEETA GALA  Mumbai, Maharashtra

Sangeeta works as an assistant director in the highly competitive Hindi film industry. Given that she is profoundly deaf, this is a particularly challenging task.  Fascinated by films ever since she was a child, Sangeeta has worked with well known directors on some memorable films: Black, Raavan, Barfi, to name a few.

UBEDULLA NAVED AZMI  Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh

A much sought after computer teacher and web designer, Naved’s knowledge and skills are admired by everyone. He has never allowed the fact that he lives with a condition called osteogenesisimperfecta, with very brittle bones, to come in the way of pursuit of excellence.

Speaking about the awards Mr. CK Ranganathan, Chairman & Managing Director, CavinKare Pvt.Ltd. said, “The prestigious CavinKare Ability Awards have grown in stature and recognition over the last 11 years held successively. The motto of this award is to recognize the spirit of persons with disabilities. This platform is for individuals, who have faced several trials and tribulations during their journey to realize their dream. This is a ladder for those with the passion and unrelenting enthusiasm to pursue their journey.”

Says  Ms. JayshreeRaveendran, Founder & Honorary Executive Director, Ability Foundation, “The mindsets we change and the difference we make through our Awards, is truly amazing. The public realises the eminence of such people, each one of who is an example worth emulating. And for the recipient, it acts as a springboard towards further laurels. Ability Foundation, has throughout its existence aimed at bridging the divide between persons with and with disabilities and the Awards is another such initiative towards this goal and I am delighted with the achievement in this direction.”

The 12th edition of CavinKare Ability Awards has received 185 nominations from across 19 states. Distinguished members of the jury this time, comprised – Ms. Bombay Jayashri, Carnatic Music Vocalist and Academy Award nominated Music Composer, Mr. GauthamVasudevMenon, Film Maker, Dr.Mariazeena Johnson – Director, Sathyabama University, Mr. M Murali, Proprietor, Sri Krishna Sweets and  Mr G. Dhananjayan, Chief ,South Business- Studios, Disney UTV.