The 23rd CavinKare Ability Awards, organized by CavinKare in collaboration with Ability Foundation, honored six individuals with disabilities who have defied societal norms and driven change. The awards, divided into three categories, recognized the achievements of these exceptional individuals who have overcome significant barriers to achieve success.
The CavinKare Ability Special Recognition Award was given to Sarah Sunny, India’s first lawyer with a hearing impairment to argue before the Supreme Court. Despite facing challenges such as the lack of legal sign language interpreters, she continues to advocate for judicial accessibility. The CavinKare Ability Award for Eminence was awarded to Poonam Shroti, a disability rights advocate born with osteogenesis imperfecta, a condition that causes fragile bones. She has defied societal expectations by thriving in the corporate world and founding Uddip Social Welfare Society, which empowers individuals with disabilities through education and employment.
The CavinKare Ability Mastery Awards were given to four individuals who have achieved excellence in their respective fields. Mohammad Shams Aalam Shaikh, a para swimmer and disability rights advocate from Gujarat, has won 31 national medals and holds a world record for the longest open-sea swim by a paraplegic. Miranda Tomkinson, from Chennai, is India’s first individual with visual and hearing impairment to major in Special Education and holds three postgraduate degrees. Jilumol Mariet Thomas, from Kerala, was also recognized for her achievements. Arshad Pandit, from Srinagar, became paraplegic after a terrorist attack in 1995 but has gone on to become an Associate Professor at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) and has secured significant research funding.
These award recipients were selected by a panel of esteemed jurors, including lyricist and screenwriter Madhan Karky, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation chairperson Soumya Swaminathan, and former Madras High Court judge Justice Prabha Sridevan, among others. The CavinKare Ability Awards aim to recognize and celebrate the achievements of individuals with disabilities who have made a significant impact in their fields, and this year’s recipients are truly inspiring examples of determination and perseverance. Their stories serve as a testament to the fact that disability is not a barrier to success, and that with the right support and opportunities, individuals with disabilities can achieve great things.