INDIACSR News Network
BANGALORE, India: SAP Labs India today launched the first annual India Inclusion Summit 2012, in Bangalore on World Disability Day. The summit provided for thought provoking discussion on the need for increased awareness of physical and intellectual disabilities and society’s role in making true inclusion a reality.
he event witnessed involvement of over 300 delegates from the Autism Society of India (ASI), Spastic Society of Karnataka (SSK) and the Karnataka Parents Association for Mentally Retarded Citizens (KPAMRC).
The participants at the summit debated over the most effective and popular communication mediums viz., movies, sports, books, music; with a view to fostering discussion about disability by driving inclusion strongly into the corporate ecosystem.
Also discussed, was the need to identify and define the roles of corporate organizations, schools, parents and educators in supporting differently-abled individuals. From a policy perspective, the event evaluated and reviewed the current disability laws and provided feedback for possible amendments in the future.
Mr. VR Ferose, Chairperson, India Inclusion Summit 2012 and Managing Director, SAP Labs India, presided over the summit. In his opening remarks he envisioned the event to be the largest global summit in the next three years. “As a society we collectively need to work towards inclusion of the differently-abled by providing education, training, amenities and supporting them with employment and healthcare. The India Inclusion Summit 2012 brings together various stakeholders to create awareness and encourage inclusivity of the differently-abled.”
Dr. Kiran Bedi, India’s first woman IPS officer, Mr. Harsha Bhogle, popular Indian cricket commentator, Mr. Joy Bhattacharya, CEO of the current IPL champions ‘Kolkata Knight Riders’, Mr. George Abraham, Founding Chairman of the World Blind Cricket Council and Mr. Ramesh Vangal, a successful entrepreneur, were some of the illustrious speakers at the summit.
Mr. TGC Prasad, bestselling author and National Executive Council Member of the System Society of India (SSK) – launched his new book titled ‘From the eye of my mind’. The book tells the story of an autistic girl and relates a charming tale of acceptance, love and a beautiful mind. Renowned Indian carnatic music vocalist Bombay Jayashri, recited a few lines, penned specially for differently-abled people, by award winning Indian poet, lyricist and director Gulzar.
The employees at SAP Labs have contributed to a corpus of rupees twelve lakh that will go towards an envisaged music therapy school for autistic children. The India Inclusion Summit is one of SAP Lab’s many initiatives to support the differently-abled and drive inclusion. Other ongoing projects comprise of “BOL” an iPAD application developed to provide technology-based learning to children affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and ‘Project Prayas’ rolled out in conjunction with the Autism Society of India. Prayas focuses on education, employability and engagement of individuals affected by Autism.
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