VHP’s fun event felicitates people with disability

Vedic chanting, personal speeches and inspiring performances are highlights of this special celebration

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) of Australia hosted a moving celebration to acknowledge International Day of People with Disability at the Pennant Hills Community Centre on December 15.

International Day of People with Disability is a UN-sanctioned date that recognizes the dignity, rights and well-being of those with a disability.

Open to all differently abled people and their dedicated carers, the VHP event showcased the remarkable achievements of Australian youth with special needs, and helped unite them with the wider community in an effort to promote a more positive image around disability.

Several memorable items such as inspiring speeches, cultural acts, a brilliant liveband, vivacious Bollywood dancing and fun games filled the day. Friendly volunteers from the Hindu Youth Society and Moorebank Bala Samsa Kendra helped too.

The programme kicked off with an opening address by Ms Padhmaja Satyamoorti, MC who welcomed Karthik Iyer and

Arun Kumar to the stage to showcase their Vedic chanting skills. Both did a wonderful job in demonstrating their ability to engage with their Hindu faith despite having a disability. Their proud parents and the audience encouragingly cheered them on.

Next was a series of guest speeches delivered by VHP Social Services Coordinator, Dr Shobha Kumar; Councillor of Hornsby Council, Mr. Gurdeep Singh; and Hills Community Care Senior-Coordinator, Mr Peter Coles. Each speaker expressed their support for the event and highlighted its relevance in the local community.

Young yoga enthusiast Prashanth conducted a mild yoga demonstration for the audience, explaining that while learning to wind down is an important strategy for all, it is especially vital for those with a disability. Yoga is a helpful coping mechanism, claimed Prashanth as he executed a sequence of popular yoga positions and clearly explained their meanings. As members of the audience mirrored his actions and chanted ‘Om’ with him, the hall was filled with a calm and positive vibe.

The yoga demonstration was followed by an informative talk given by Rajeshwari Rao and Parul Shah of Samarpan, an inclusive society that aims to provide both moral and cultural support to South Asians with a disability and their families. It offers interaction opportunities for people with special needs and their parents. It also aims to establish accommodation options for the children once their caregivers have reached astage where they are unable to continue providing quality support.

Next, Uma Menon shared her poignant experience as the mother of an autistic male child, talking about the joys and struggles of her journey, offering sound advice to parents in the audience.

Sivaram Pragash, a young TamilAustralian affected by blindness, told everyone his personal story and praised his mother for ardently supporting him. An enlightening speech and presentation by Mr Vincent Yu, CEO of ManyMindsLinkfollowed. MML is a program established to help ease young adults with a disability into the work force. Mr Yu said, “All parents desire to give their child a meaningful life. However, the word ‘meaningful’ can become tarnished when one has a child with a disability.”

The MML initiative helps to support disabled young adults and their families by encouraging independence and teaching participants to develop their living skills and pursue their hobbies. They have even created an iPhone app to help their clients strengthen theircommunication skills. Next followed an awe-inspiring performance by the Chinese Parents Association Kidz Band, where talented Chinese youths with different abilities performed amazing renditions of popular and meaningful songs, including ‘We are the world’ and ‘I still call Australia home’. The two lead singers charmed the audience with their passionate voices and their infectious smiles. Music has a profoundlypositive effect on those with special needs. It was a pleasure to watch a couple of youth in the audience who simply couldn’t control their feet, get up and dance!

Young people from Moorebank Bala Samsar Kendra and Hindu Youth Australia performed a lively Bollywood dance. The audience was asked to stand as the volunteers moved all the chairs into a big circle for some interactive dancing and exciting games like pass-the-parcel. This helped attendees to mingle and get to know each another on a more personal level.

Special thanks must go to the National General Secretary, Akila Ramarathinam, for organizing the event. It was truly a success and was greatly enjoyed by all!

$100

Shop Gift Voucher

Some reputed travel journalists said, ”If you have seen INDIA, You have seen the whole world!”

Visit friends and relatives and explore other places of interest in India. On return spread a good word around with pride among your Aussie friends! Daily departure tours from $775.00 p.p. twin share.

$100 shop gift voucher conditions:

1. When you sign up a 2 year contract of mobile service or mobile broadband service in our store

2. One voucher/per service, the more you sign, the more you get.

3. You can redeem the voucher only for mobile phone accessories in store

4. Gift voucher is not redeemable for cash

5. To qualify for this offer, you must mention this advertisement before signing up.

6. Offer ends Jan 31, 2013 unless extended

7. Gift voucher is valid for 2 years from the date of issue.

Ph: 9749 7688 or 9749 7655

Notes: email: ram@ramworldtravel.com.au www.ramworldtravel.com.au

We carry a wide range of mobiles avaiulable on contract, prepaid and we also offer competitive pricing for outright purchase, for details, please visit our shop.