Odisha Disability Conclave, organised by VIEWS
Bhubaneswar(By Abhishek Mohanty): The 2nd Odisha Disability Conclave, organized by VIEWS (Voluntary Integration for Education and Welfare of Society) in partnership with Jindal Foundation, was held at the Buddha Temple Auditorium, Bhubaneswar, on the theme “Inclusion, Climate Change and Gender Equality.”
The conclave brought together policymakers, persons with disabilities (PwDs), civil society organisations, development agencies, youth, students, media to advance disability-inclusive climate-resilient development in Odisha.
The programme opened with a welcome address by Mukesh Kumar Purohit (VIEWS), followed by a cultural performance by students of the Louis Braille School for the Blind. Setting the context, S. Bheema Rao, Founder & Executive Director, VIEWS, highlighted the compounded vulnerabilities faced by PwDs—especially women and girls—in climate-affected regions.
Bratati Harichandan, State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities; Sulochana Das, Mayor, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation; Kasturi Mohapatra, Former State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities & Founder, Open Learning System; Sanyas Kumar Behera, Deputy Secretary, SSEPD Department, Government of Odisha; Dilip Kumar Hial, DSSO, Khurda; Niranjan Behera, State President, Odisha Bikalanga Mancha; Manoranjan Behera, Representative, State Bank of India, Bhubaneswar, and Selvin Bheema Rao (Founder & Executive Director, VIEWS) emphasized inclusive governance, accessible infrastructure, and disability-sensitive climate action.
Sanyas Kumar Behera underscored that disability inclusion must be firmly rooted in fundamental rights, stressing PwDs’ rights to food, housing, accessibility, information, and justice, and called for effective implementation of the mandated 5% budget allocation across sectors.
Ganeshan Seragal, Principal, National Institute of Persons with Disabilities (NIPwD), highlighted the development of standardized neuro-assessment tools and training curricula addressing neurodiversity, with special focus on neurospasticity and Autism, and emphasized early identification and capacity building.
Bratati Harichandan pointed to the gap between awareness and implementation of PwD laws and strongly advocated for a dedicated disaster management plan for PwDs.
Sulochana Das drew attention to the lack of disability-friendly infrastructure in Bhubaneswar’s 481 registered slums and called for collective local-level action aligned with Viksit Odisha 2036 and India 2047.
Calling for a shift in mindset, Kasturi Mohapatra posed the question, “Are we all truly abled?” highlighting invisible disabilities and the need for an enabling ecosystem and stronger government–civil society collaboration.
Manoranjan Behera emphasized dignity, self-belief, and recognizing inner strength beyond physical or mental limitations.
Niranjan Behera noted that despite the PwD Act, 1995 and the RPwD Act, 2016, benefits have yet to reach the grassroots, urging coordinated action and sharing Odisha Bikalanga Mancha’s sustained advocacy since 2006.
The conclave included Technical Session on ‘Inclusion, Climate Change, and Gender Equality’, moderated by Debabrata Patra, Associate Director & Humanitarian Lead, Action Aid, with panelists Ranjita Muduli (Azim Premji Foundation, Bhubaneswar), Sudatta Khuntia (State Programme Lead, Sightsavers India), Dr. Nirakar Devdas (Programme Development Manager, EKTA), and Dillip Kumar Biswal (Programme Director, AAINA), Ipsapratibimita Sarangi (Regional Head, NFI), Santosh Kumar Maharana (SAMARTH-CCD, Gajapati), Akshya Kumar Sahu (Secretary, Odisha Vikalang Manch), and Pravakar Sahoo (Sadhana).
A major highlight was the VIEWS Excellency Awards in Disability Empowerment, presented by Rotarian Manoj Tripathy, District Governor-3262, Rotary, recognizing exemplary contributions towards disability inclusion in Odisha. The conclave concluded with a dialogue session participating 26 youth, moderated by jury members Dr. Nityuranjan Das (Secretary, CYSW),Namita Patnaik (Retd. Professor, Political Science), and Satyanarayan Mohapatra (Assistant Coordinator, Grants & Monitoring, Restless Development), culminating in a collective call for disability-inclusive climate action and gender-just development, reaffirming the commitment to leave no one behind.
Sunil Kumar Ghadei (Program Director, VIEWS provided the vote of thanks; where VIEWS team coordinated the entire event.
