CavinKare ABILITY Awards 2014

Venue: Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall 
Harrington Road, Chennai

Jury:
Ms Bombay Jayashri, Carnatic Music Vocalist and Academy Award nominated Music Composer
Mr Gautham Vasudev Menon, Film Maker
Dr Mariazeena Johnson, Director, Sathyabama University 
Mr M Murali, Proprietor, Sri Krishna Sweets
Mr G Dhananjayan, Chief, South Business-Studios, Disney UTV
Chief Guest:
Shri.Mukul Wasnik - Hon. Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment,
Govt. of India

The event...
The 11th CavinKare Ability Awards at the Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao concert hall on the 9^th March was a showcase of excellence and inspiration as we recognised the immense achievements of each recipient. This year a special recognition award was given to nine-year-old Hridayeshwar Singh Bhati, the young inventor of six player chess. He was joined on stage with Deepa Malik, RJ Den and Samuel Ashish Marcus who each received a mastery award, and Ranjan Kumar Biswal, Founder of the Milton Charitable Foundation, who received the award for eminence.

Intermixed with inspiring speeches made by the jury members and guest of honour, Mr Vinod K. Dasari, the stage was lit up with elegant Orissi dance performances by the acclaimed Meera Das and her disciple Lopamudra Jena who performed in front of a backdrop of stars in the sky.

Although composer A.R.Rahman could not join us this year, he sent us his Infinite Love – the music video released in 2012 to celebrate the diversity of all life and culture around the world. In a touching and energising performance, children of the Clarke School for the Deaf, Deafblind and children with multiple disabilities, the VExcel Educational Trust for Children with Special Education Needs, and students from the Academy of Modern Danse took to the stage, joined by rap artist Blaaze.

This was a year of reflection and looking inwards as Dr. Mariazeena Johnson pledged to have her visiting cards printed in Braille, Gayathri Sriram urged the media to provide equal, positive coverage of persons with disabilities and the audience watched on in awe, providing standing ovations again and again.

Click to see the photo gallery.

The Awardees

CavinKare ABILITY Award for Eminence:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/YSW8Y8yKZtM?rel=0! 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.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ccyhku209EM?rel=0!

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.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/y-AezJT2S14?rel=0!