Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Oct 10: The third edition of the International Purple Fest—Purple Fair 2025—was inaugurated in Goa on Friday, spotlighting India’s commitment to creating an inclusive and accessible society. The festival celebrates the talent, entrepreneurship, and resilience of persons with disabilities, aiming to reshape societal perceptions.
Goa Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant said the event had become a symbol of empowerment. “The Purple Fest reflects inclusive thinking and the belief that persons with disabilities are not to be pitied, but celebrated for their immense potential,” he remarked.
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar highlighted the changing narrative around disability in India, noting that persons with disabilities are now seen as professionals, entrepreneurs, and contributors to national progress. Minister of State Ramdas Athawale praised the initiative as embodying inclusion and opportunity, while Goa Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Dessai emphasized that inclusion is a principle of governance, not charity.
DEPwD Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal shared that over 50,000 complaints had been resolved by State Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities, along with CSR initiatives worth ?50 crore and mobile courts addressing hundreds of petitions. Goa’s State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Guruprasad Pawaskar, called the festival “a unique platform to showcase creativity, resilience, and talent.”
Dignitaries at the event included Union Minister Shripad Naik, Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade, Chief Secretary Dr. V. Candavelou, and senior officials from DEPwD and the Goa government. Participation also came from international organizations, NGOs, and disability rights activists, including NCPEDP, Saksham, Bookshare, DAIG, Rising Flame, and the UN in India, along with prominent champions of disability rights such as Sadiya Bandodkar, K.Y. Venkatesh, Nidhi Goyal, and Jeeja Ghosh.
Purple Fair 2025 is jointly organized by the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Directorate of Social Welfare, Entertainment Society of Goa, and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, with participation from key stakeholders.