3 from state chosen for National Disability Day award

Avneet Kaur

Jalandhar, November 16

Three persons from Punjab have been selected for the National Disability Day award this year. Among the awardees are Yashveer Goyal (20), a differently-abled sportsperson and IT whiz kid from Bathinda; Mallika Handa (24), first Indian girl to win a gold medal in the International Deaf and Dumb Chess Championship; and Mangal Singh Bhandal (56) from Kapurthala, a social activist suffering with locomotor disability.

The award for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities of 2019 will be awarded to Yashveer under the role model hearing impairments (male) category, to Mallika under the best sportsperson with disability category and to Mangal in the best employee/self-employed with disabilities category by President Ram Nath Kovind in New Delhi on December 3.

While Yashveer has been chosen for bringing laurels to the state by winning gold in doubles category and bronze in single category at the 10th Punjab State Deaf Badminton Championship, he also won an achievement award in the Global Information Technology Challenge for Youths, held in Hanoi in Vietnam in 2017.

Talking to The Tribune, father of Yashveer, Chander Prakash, said Yashveer was hearing and speech impaired since birth and also suffered from congenital deformities, but despite that he never gave up. Prakash said he was happy with the news that his son would be a proud recipient of the national award.

An elated Renu Handa, mother of Mallika, thanked the Centre for acknowledging her daughter’s achievements and efforts. She further said her happiness would double if the state government offered a job to her. “Despite having a disability, my daughter has brought laurels to the state and has won many national and international championships in chess. It is really disappointing that the disabled are not able ti get jobs”, she said.

Thanking the government, Mangal Singh Bhandal, who is presently serving as senior lecturer at Government College, Kapurthala, said he had been working hard to change the lives of the disabled. “I am working for the rehabilitation of the abandoned kids by providing them shelter, food and education for the past 17 years. I motivate persons with disabilities to never give up and am also working as a social activist to spread awareness among people about their rights”, he said.

Meanwhile, Amarjit Singh Anand, expert member, Punjab Divyangjan State Advisory Board, and state disability activist said since 2016, nine persons from Punjab had received the National Disability Award.