300 disabled youth audition for NGO Blind Dreams’ Indiyaah Talent Hunt in Mumbai
Saturday, 24th August 2013; Mumbai: In a touching, heart-rending and soul-stirring event, more than 300 blind and differently enabled youth from all over Maharashtra participated in the western zone round of auditions for the Blind Dreams’ Indiyaah Talent Hunt for the disabled or differently enabled. The auditions were held at the Kamla Mehta School for the Blind at Dadar in Central Mumbai. Most participants came from far off towns and villages in Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Speaking at the function, Dr Samir Mansuri, chairman of NGO Blind Dreams’ and co-organizer of the event along with social organization Blind Persons Association said, “The over whelming response to the Blind Dreams’ Indiyaah Talent Hunt for the differently enabled and visually impaired is an indication that differently enabled youth are otherwise as talented as their colleagues and sometimes even more talented in certain fields like music, singing, acting, etc. All differently enabled should come together in a show of strength to demand their rightful place in society and in the day-to-day working of organizations and corporates.” Mansuri spoke about the lack of support and empathy from various sectors including the police and civic agencies. He demanded that all public places, railway stations, airports, government offices, etc., should be enabled to provide the differently enabled a level playing field.
Mamta Namdeo, co-ordinator of the event, impressed upon the differently enabled to acquire vocational and technical skills that will help them in the fiercely competitive corporate environment and ensure that they get well-paying jobs in the service or technical sector.
The national finals of the Blind Dreams’ Indiyaah Talent Hunt will be held in Mumbai in October. The western zone auditions were the first in the series of 6 zonal auditions to be held during August and September. Bollywood photographer Raju Asrani of Zoom Studios said, “It was a truly touching scene to see so many disabled youth participate so enthusiastically in the auditions in spite of coming from far away towns and villages travelling for several hours.” Differently enabled youth from India who wish to participate in the categories – singing, stand-up comedy, mimicry, music; etc., can contact the Blind Dreams office or email their details to blind.dreams.indiyaah.talent at gmail.com for registration for future auditions.
