Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, APRIL 15
MORE than 80 children with disabilities on Tuesday participated in the first ever Special Olympics Torch Run in Nagaland, which was held here in Dimapur covering the distance between Clock Tower point and the DDSC stadium. The 80 special children were escorted by their families and friends, adding up to the number of runners which stood at more than 200. The Torch run was organized by the Special Olympics, Nagaland.
Governor Dr Ashwani Kumar, whose office is now well known for championing the cause of the cause of person with disabilities in the State, was once again invited as the chief guest at the occasion.
Though he did not participate in the “run”, the Dr. Ashwani’s presence and address made the Torch Run just that much brighter for the participants. “It is not the distance (which you have run) that matters. The torch and the flame are just symbols. What is important is the message that the athletes have send today. In Nagaland we have a population of more than 20 lakh people and the population of Dimapur must also be no less than one hundred thousand. But how many of us would have taken part in a torch run like this? I am an athlete (he is reported to have been a more than decent boxer in college). I claim to be an athlete and I have participated in a torch run on few occasions.
“My dear participants, you have done what many of us have not been able to do in our lives. You have made us proud with your effort and your enthusiasm,” Kumar said in his address to the participants.
He said that the flame lit on Tuesday was a metaphor to the desire “of the people assembled here” for an inclusive Nagaland. “It is however sad to observe that there is discrimination, not only between the abled and the disabled, but also between the male/female and rich/poor within the group of person with disabilities.
“We aspire for a Nagaland where there is no discrimination on grounds of disability or disparity of health or wealth. A Nagaland where – all rich and poor, able and disable, physically fit or not so physically fit – are treated with equal respect and love.”
The Governor also lamented that despite the “differently abled person’s love for sports and games”, they have somehow been not able to avail the facilities and provisions. “In Nagaland we have so many stadiums and sports complexes which have been built spending huge amount of public money. We have the Indira Gandhi Sports stadium in Kohima which was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister AB Vajpayee. But I don’t find anybody using it even today.”
He cited the instance of China hosting the International Paralympics in Beijing immediately after the Olympic Games 2008, at the same stadium and in the same year. “These gestures send a clear message to the world that there is need for us to give equal importance and full consideration to the people with special needs.
I wish we could take a leaf out of the example of our neighboring country and hold Special Olympics and Sports Meet for the differently abled in these complexes.”
He reiterated his message that the “religious institutions”, regardless of their denominations, are always expected to do more to promote and champion the cause of person with disabilities. “We feel that the religious institutions are capable of playing a much more effective role in looking after the needs of the weak, the destitute, differently abled and under privileged,” the Governor shared.
Double gold medalist at the Special Olympics Bharat National Championship, New Delhi 2014, Merensenla delivered a brief welcome speech. A signature campaign, pledging support to the cause of the person with disabilities, titled “Fan For Life’ was also launched after the service at the DDSC.
