World Down Syndrome Day observed, 16 persons feted by admn

The district administration along with local social organisations celebrated World Down Syndrome Day today, under the Uplifting Mission for Education and Empowerment of Divyangjans (UMEED) project. The strength, achievements, and determination of 16 extraordinary individuals with Down syndrome were celebrated on the occasion.

Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain presided over the event and dedicated his first day in office time to the noble cause. He felicitated 16 persons with Down syndrome who have overcome difficulties and scaled new heights in various fields, including sports, art, academics, and community service.

Jain said the district administration was making all-out efforts for the betterment of specially-abled persons and hailed them as an integral part of society. He said the administration would take necessary steps to assist specially-abled persons to help them earn their livelihood.

The honourees represented various NGOs, including Ashirwaad, Darpan Autism Centre, Nirdosh School, Ek Prayas, and CityNeeds.

The awardees included Satwinder Kaur, a celebrated national bocce champion; Anmol Bhat, a national skater; Kanu Gulati, a creative entrepreneur; Lakshmi, a gold medallist and dancer; Divyanshi, a silver medal-winning athlete; Gurjot, a gold medal-winning sprinter; Jaskaran Singh, a chef; Arshpreet Kaur, a hard-working student; Ishika Aggarwal, a multi-talented artist; Divyam Srivastav, a young learner; Krishna Aggarwal, a student; Gurnoor Singh, a track champion; Vandit Jain, a clay artist and entrepreneur; and Kapil; Amayra, and Priyanka Ahuja for their creativity.

Later, Ludhiana DDF Ambar Bandopadhyay also briefed the Deputy Commissioner on Project UMEED, a new initiative by the district administration under the Red Cross Society aimed at empowering physically and mentally challenged individuals.