Bengaluru, Karnataka, India:
Now in its 23rd year, the Helen Keller Awards champions bold and brilliant disability-inclusive employment and leadership. These awards are among India’s most prestigious recognitions for people and organizations working to promote equal employment opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
The Helen Keller Awards were instituted in 1999 after an NCPEDP survey of the top 100 companies in India revealed that less than 1% of PwDs were employed in public and private sectors. Since then, the awards have consistently created role models and celebrated achievements in the creation of employment for PWDs to motivate the society at large.
Arman Ali, Executive Director, NCPEDP said, “More than 70 per cent of the disabled population are unemployed in the country, as per Equiv.in. The COVID-19 pandemic has evidently affected PwDs disproportionately. While thousands of people moved to work remotely and had access to alternative employment opportunities, PwDs were systematically ignored altogether yet again from all social safety nets, especially for income security. The need to create and sustain opportunities in employment and entrepreneurship for persons with disabilities in both urban and rural areas is more critical than ever. By providing reasonable accommodation to persons with disabilities, organisations can create an inclusive workforce culture that does not discriminate based on disability. The NCPEDP-Mindtree Helen Keller Awards are one such effort to promote the idea of an inclusive and self-reliant India.”
Paneesh Rao, Advisor, Sustainability at Mindtree said, “Building an equitable society for PwDs requires that we create and sustain opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship. We consider it an honor to be associated with NCPEDP in recognizing individuals and organizations for their pursuit and exemplary efforts and contributions toward delivering social equity and inclusion. The NCPEDP-Mindtree Helen Keller Awards promotes the idea of socio-economic inclusion and supports the empowerment of PWDs. These awards signify the positive impact of collective efforts and shared growth.”
The NCPEDP-Mindtree Helen Keller Awards 2022 are open for nominations under the following categories:
Category A: Role Model Persons with Disabilities: Persons with Disabilities from within the disability sector and outside who have been active ambassadors of the cause of employment for people with disabilities and are positive role models for others.
Category B: Role Model Supporter of Increased Employment Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities: Individuals from within the disability sector or outside who have contributed substantially to the cause of promoting employment opportunities for people with disabilities over an extended period of time.
Category C: Role Model Companies/NGOs/Institutions: Organisations from the disability sector or outside who have shown their commitment towards promoting equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Role Model Entrepreneurs with Disabilities: Entrepreneurs with disabilities who have managed to set up businesses and sustained them over a period of time. The efforts of these individuals have positively impacted not only their lives but also the lives of others involved.
If you are one of these organizations or individuals or know someone who is, fill out the nomination form (link provided below) and have it submitted by 30 October 2022.
To download the forms, visit – https://ncpedp.org/the-ncpedp-mindtree-helen-keller-awards-2022/
