Our Correspondent
KOHIMA, OCTOBER 31
Disability Rights Advocate and former Editor Eastern Mirror, Diethono Nakhro has been conferred the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP)-Lemon Tree Helen Keller Award 2015.
Nakhro has been selected under Category A of the Awards- Role Model Person with Disability, which recognizes persons with disability (ies) from within the disability sector and outside who have been active as ambassadors of the cause of employment for people with disabilities and are a positive role model for others.
The story of the Helen Keller Awards started way back in 1999. Over the years, these Awards have come to be recognised as the most prestigious Indian benchmark for honouring people and organisations which have been working towards promoting employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. Each year a total of 10 Awards are given away including 3 each in the two individual categories and 4 for role model companies/organisations on 2nd December, the eve of World Disability Day.
This year, the winners were decided after intense deliberations by a jury comprising of eminent personalities. Chaired by Patanjali Keswani, Chairman & Managing Director, The Lemon Tree Hotel Company, the jury included Aarti Dhar, former Deputy Editor of The Hindu; Meenu Venkateswaran, Co-founder of Pravah and currently Director; Salil Chaturvedi, Award winning writer and Disability Campaigner; and Vandana Bedi, Vice Chair, AADI; Trustee, Basic Needs and Consultant and Trainer - Disability and Development.
The following are the awardees’ list for NCPEDP-Lemon Tree Helen Keller Awards 2015:
CATEGORY A: Role Model Person with Disability
1. Diethono Nakhro - Disability Rights Advocate, Nagaland
2. Nitin Goyal - Head of Asset Controlling and Projects (India), Nokia Networks and Solutions, Gurgaon
3. Kanika Aggarwal - Training Executive, v-shesh Learning Services Pvt. Ltd., Maharashtra
CATEGORY B: Role Model Supporter of Increased Employment Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities:
1. Anita Narayan - Founder and Managing Trustee, Ekansh Trust, Maharashtra
2. Ganesh Shivaram Hegde - Deputy Director (Livelihood), The Association of People with Disability (APD), Karnataka
3. Aparna Dass - Programme Manager, The America India Foundation Trust, Gurgaon
CATEGORY C: Role Model Companies/NGOs/Institutions:
1. AMBA, Karnataka
2. ANZ Bengaluru Hub, Karanataka
3. Sounds of Silence Foundation, Maharashtra
4. State Bank of India, Maharashtra
