A tribute to the specially-abled heroes who have overcome disability and contributed to society
Mumbai, 13 October 2022: Celebrating the triumph of the human spirit, Dr Batra’s® organized the 14th edition of the Positive Health Awards on October 12th, 2022 at the Tata Theatre, NCPA in Mumbai presented Bajaj Auto. In the 14th edition of the Positive Health Awards, five individuals who overcame adversities and contributed to society were recognized and awarded for their exemplary grit and determination.
The eminent jury panel comprising of – Rajiv Bajaj – MD, Bajaj Auto, Dr. Mukesh Batra, Padma Shri recipient and Founder, Dr Batra’s Group of Companies, Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Vivek Oberoi, and R. Balki, had a difficult job of selecting the winners from hundreds of applications from across the country.
The event was witnessed by more than 750 selected audiences comprising leaders of the industry, medical students, and NGO’s. The audience was regaled by songs sung by ‘Swarrange’ a visually challenged orchestra and dance performances on wheels by the dance group ‘Miracle on Wheels’.
Speaking on the occasion, Padma Shri recipient Dr Mukesh Batra, Founder – Dr Batra’s® group of companies said, “The Positive Health heroes inspire us, the able-bodied to achieve more in life and contribute to society. Their lives are truly inspirational and we as a brand that cares are honored to bring out their amazing stories. Our past winners have gone on to excel and win many other accolades in India and we hope that their grit and determination help them achieve greater heights. We thank Mr. Rajiv Bajaj for his continuous support in our endeavor to recognize these real-life heroes.”
The Positive Health Awardees for 2022 are a force to reckon:
Mridul Ghosh: Mridul, an Indian Air Force Employee suffering from complete paralysis of the body due to C5 and C6 vertebral injuries after his encounter with an accident on the field didn’t let his condition become a roadblock. Determined to move forward, Mridul started painting using his lips, and soon after he joined hands with Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (MFPA). He now instructs specially-abled PRC troops and has received many accolades in doing so, including the ‘2020 Artist of the Year’ and ‘The MFPA India Excellence Awards’.
Zainika Jagasia: Zainika, the second awardee of the Positive Health Awards is a Mumbai-based model with Down syndrome who broke through the societal definitions of beauty and represented her community at large. Due to her passion for modeling, she has garnered remarkable opportunities across brands like Gajra Gang, Cotton World, and Nykaa. She was also featured in the Marika Magazine. She also holds remarkable grades in the academic sphere.
Dr Jitendra Agarwal: Having lost his vision to macular degeneration, Dr Jitendra Agarwal took a step back from his 6 years of practice as a Dental Surgeon. During his years of recovery, he came to terms with the fact that a person with a disability (PWD) suffers from something worse than the disability itself and that is the feeling of dependency. So to address this, he established ‘Sarthak’.
Sarthak has rehabilitated 314 disabled children through its early intervention and inclusive education initiative, trained 4550 PwD candidates, held over 100 job fairs, and placed 7250 PwD in employment.
Dr Fathima Asla: Suffering from Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease, Dr Fathima underwent six surgeries. Having spent most of her life visiting doctors and hospitals, she was left in awe of how they took care of the patients. So to help those like her, she decided to pursue medicine. She completed her (BHMS) at NSS Homoeo Medical College, Kottayam, and practiced as a house surgeon at ANSS Homoeo Medical College Hospital.
Ameer Siddiqui: Aameer Siddiqui, a resident of Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh, contracted Polio when he was just 18 months old. Aameer had a tough childhood. Not only was he discriminated against and bullied by his schoolmates but also by his own relatives, who ostracized him. But he decided not to give up. He challenged people’s perception of people with disability with his strength and education. Today, he has 3 Master’s Degrees and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. His NGO – ‘Eagle Specially Abled Rider’ which has more than 500 para-riders organizes motorcycle rallies across India to generate awareness on social issues like illiteracy, rape-free India, etc.
This year’s prestigious Positive Health Awards show was supported by Bajaj Auto and other partners, including Business World and Radio Fever. The event was also graced by eminent celebrities and personalities, including Simi Garewal, Madhoo Shah, Bharat Dabolkar, Sidharth Kak, Gaurav Sharma, Roopali Suri, Sonal Jindal, Gwen Athaide, Simran Ahuja, Soma Ghosh, Mickey Mehta, and Dilip Piramal.
