World Disability Day celebrations at USOL 

Chandigarh, December 2, 2022: The University School of Open Learning in collaboration with university’s Equal Opportunity Cell for Persons with Disabilities organised the World Disability Day which falls on 3rd of December. The program included lectures by disability rights policy advocates, and faculty members of the university. The event also entailed recitation of poems and songs by visually impaired students and research scholars. The program included deliberations upon such issues as accessibility, inclusion and equity pertaining to the disabled. The event focussed on highlighting the transformational intervention of Disability Studies which treats disability challenges more in socio-political terms rather than treating it as a merely medical condition. The USOL chairperson, Prof Neeru gave a welcome address and talked about disability in the context of literature and culture. 

Dr Ramesh Katariya, convener of the EOC, shared his views on the issues related to disability policy and its implementation. Dr Harmail Singh recited poems in Punjabi based on the legendary disabled scientist Stephen Hawking. 

Various other speakers including Rimpy Arora and Radhika Bali put emphasis on revising the notion of the disabled as a pitiable creature worthy only of charity, sympathy or repulsion. 

The program was well-attended by the faculty members of USOL, other departments of the university and colleges of the city. Dr Rajesh Jaiswal conducted the session and proposed a vote of thanks.