That was some launch we had last month – the release of our first virtual, totally user-friendly, digital magazine!

I must say, we had waited for it with bated breath. While of course online magazines are dime a dozen today, are there any that are absolutely accessible? If there are, please let me know. I would love to join hands with them. As far as I know, there is just one magazine that you can see, read, listen to, access in sign language, has a large text option… and that is “Success & ABILITY”.

Back to the launch… The event began with Bombay Jayashri marking the beginning with a prayer in her melodious voice. Following this, Mr. C K Ranganathan and Ms. Revathy as Trustees, reiterated their faith in Ability Foundation and specifically “Success & ABILITY”, as also Mr. S. Krishnaswamy, our Advisor. Our correspondents Prof. Ketna Mehta and Mr. Sai Prasad gave a heart-warming recount of their association with us. Then followed the grand finale of the evening –  Mr. Shankar Mahadevan who launched our digital version and also transported every listener to bliss, in his amazing voice with a sublime song. To be sure, our cup of happiness was full to the brim that day.

As Ms. Revathy so aptly put it: “Success & ABILITY” is a “happiness magazine”. In keeping with this, our first issue of the COVID era was so too. More of a “making friends with COVID”, an acceptance of life as it prevails, that has seeped into all of us and the new normal that we have all absorbed.  Thus, our inaugural issue, although dwelling on serious matters as COVID, brought forward articles that instilled hope and getting on with life.

Moving on, we have all been enthused about the Paralympics! Our very own warriors who brought home the gold, silver and the bronze. We cherish memories of Mariappan Thangavelu who won the silver in the men’s high jump T63 and who had earlier featured on the cover of “Success & ABILITY” in January 2017.  We have Ankur Dhama, who was part of the International Paralympic Committee, also the recipient of our CavinKare ABILITY Mastery Award 2016, and we have Devika Malik (daughter of Deepa Malik, our CavinKare ABILITY Mastery Award 2013 recipient), herself a high achiever, writing their perspectives of the Paralympics and on assistive sports technology. Sunil Jain opens his heart to Yashasvini about his passion for inclusive wheelchair tennis, while Dr. Ketna Mehta brings forth the need for nano-managing sports recreation.

All this as usual, fully accessible for your reading, seeing, listening pleasure.

As always, I look forward to hearing from you… please do! Anything you want said. Privileged to be in touch.

Jayshree Raveendran
j.raveendran@abilityfoundation.org

Click here to watch the launch of Success & ABILITY magazine here.

Jayshree Raveendran

Jayshree Raveendran is the Founder & Honorary Executive Director of Ability Foundation, and Editor at Success & ABILITY