Achievers-100 percent visual impaired Journalist from Punjab awarded with National Award ‘Shreshth Divyangjan-2024’
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ December 3,2024
Today, on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2024, President of India, Droupadi Murmu conferred the National Awards to 33 exemplary individuals and institutions for Empowering Persons with Disabilities, in New Delhi. The ceremony witnessed the presence of Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar, and Secretary of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Rajesh Aggarwal.
Danish Mahajan, a resident of Pathankot, a person with 100% visual impairment and a resilient advocate for persons with disabilities, transformed his life after losing his eyesight at the age of 14. Through initiatives like Radio Udaan, an online community radio station for visually impaired individuals, he has reached over 50,000 monthly listeners. His efforts include motivational speaking, counseling, and organizing talent competitions.
Mahajan has received awards like the CavinKare Ability Award, showcasing his dedication to empowering the PwD community.
In recognition of his outstanding performance in the field of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Danish Mahajan is given the National Award for Individual Excellence in the category of Shreshth Divyangjan-2024.
After receiving the award, Mahajan said “ I’m the first male blind from Punjab who has received this national award.”
Divulging further Mahajan said “due to a wrong operation, I lost my vision at the age of 14. Due to unawareness, I lost my 4 precious years as nobody informed me that I can join a school for further studies. Even the doctor shared this information with me that I can go to school. Later at the age of 18 I joined Vocational Rehabilitation Training Centre (VRTC), Ludhiana.
After that I decided to do something for my community (Blind or Disabled), to spread awareness in the community. I along with my friends did research work for two years and decided to launch an online radio. The government asked us to launch Community Radio. Due to 5 Km area restriction of community radio we decided to launch an Online Radio.
“Our radio gained popularity and we became the first ‘News Weekly Broadcasters’ in the World with regular weekly updates” claimed Danish.
Achievers-100 percent visual impaired Journalist from Punjab awarded with National Award ‘Shreshth Divyangjan-2024’. He further claimed that “I am the only Blind journalist who has done 1500 podcasts. Anyone can contact me at 9463668196”
“We are regularly doing the panel discussion programs to spread awareness. We are not getting any support from the government, advertisers as they ignored are community. “
He further informed that “we are going to organise a ‘Fashion Show for Blinds’ in February 2026 at Panchkula.
Earlier, in her address, the President lauded the courage and determination of persons with disabilities, calling them a source of inspiration for the society. She stated that the National Awards not only celebrate the achievements of the awardees but also serve as a motivation for society at large. She emphasized the need to encourage entrepreneurship, skill development, and leadership among persons with disabilities.
Secretary (DEPwD), Rajesh Aggarwal informed about the establishment of Prime Minister Divyaasha Kendras across the country to provide comprehensive support to persons with disabilities. He also highlighted that of the 33 individuals and organizations conferred with National Awards, the awardees included young achievers like 13-year-old Prathamesh and Janhavi, as well as senior citizens like 75-year-old Saroj Arya, showcasing a diverse spectrum of talent and dedication.
