The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘Wings’ of possibilities

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 24, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

‘Wings’ of possibilities

Special Correspondent

Differently abled people can participate in adventure sports

The first event is parasailing at Hoskote dry lake
It will be held on August 31, September 1 and 2

Bangalore: In our frenetic race towards fulfilling our own needs, we often ignore those whose lives are a little different from ours. What we do with ease may be a superhuman effort for others.

But then again, there are those who stop to think of what it is like to be in another’s shoes.

“Wings” is an attempt to give differently abled people a chance to break their barriers through adventure sports and orient them towards making a career in eco-tourism and nature conservation activities.

This project, started by a group of like-minded software professionals, along with Nisarga, an organisation involved in adventure sports and wildlife, sets out to promote adventure sports and nature conservation for the visually challenged, speech and hearing impaired.

The first event, parasailing at Hoskote dry lake, is targeted for August 31, September 1 and 2 (Friday, Saturday and Monday).

This event would see a participation of around 100 students from this community, around 50 from National Association for Blind (NAB, Bangalore), and the rest from various schools for the speech and hearing impaired in Bangalore.

“Wings” was initiated by Mahalakshmi Viswanathan, who, along with her colleagues Nirav Rawell, Udaya Seshua, Ruby Kumari, Himanshu Sheth and Satish Hipparagi, was inspired to empower the differently abled through adventure sports.

On learning that such activities were being promoted by IAMAS (Mysore) in association with Rotary Mid-town Mysore, the obvious question was why not initiate it in Bangalore as well.

The group approached Nisarga to conduct the event, and the project set off with immediate co-operation and support from Nisarga’s founder Karthik G.K. and Ashwin Murali, with a vision to spread “Wings” into a full-fledged venture.

What started off as a plan for one-off event like parasailing, has given birth to a whole new realm of opportunity for the differently abled to participate in a series of adventure activities like treks, river rafting, expeditions, birding and nature camps and to seek a career out of it.

The group is looking for sponsors for its endeavour. Call Mahalakshmi Viswanathan on 98864-03269 or M. Sreenivas, CEO, National Association for the Blind- Karnataka on 9845599798.

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