GNDU campus now wheelchair accessible

Amritsar, March 3

The Department of Education at Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar, observed the International Wheelchair Day on March 1 to mark the day’s significance. The International Wheelchair Day is commemorated annually around the world on that day to celebrate the positive impact a wheelchair has had on the lives of its users. The day is dedicated to celebrate the work of people who provide wheelchairs, support and care for wheelchair users and make the world a better and more accessible place for people with mobility disabilities.

Preet Mohinder Singh Bedi, Dean Students’ Welfare, while stressing on GNDU’s commitment towards providing an accessible campus, informed the students that the university is wheelchair-accessible and all public areas are being developed according to the global standards of accessibility. The university is also the only institution offering specialised courses in special education and has been working to include Persons with Disability (PwD) in the mainstream.

Deepa Sikand Kauts, Dean Faculty of Education, briefed the students about the history of wheelchair invention. “In 1655, Stephan Farffler, a clockmaker from Nuremberg, Germany, who was paraplegic, built his own mobility aid at the age of 22 after breaking his back as a child. International Wheelchair Day, which serves as a platform for recognising the positive impact that a wheelchair can have on the lives of people must be used to promote a positive dialogue around using a wheelchair,” she said.

Additionally, a wheelchair rally was flagged off with faculty members, research scholars and students of the Department of Education participating. The students performed a Nukkad Natak (street play) in front of the Bhai Gurdas Library, highlighting the significance of International Wheelchair Day.

International Wheelchair Day observed

The department observed the International Wheelchair Day on March 1. The day is commemorated annually around the world to celebrate the positive impact a wheelchair has had on the lives of its users.