40 differently-abled candidates participate in Airtel Delhi Half Marathon

To generate awareness about skill training in the disability sector and remove barriers of social inclusion, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) on Sunday enabled the participation of 40 people with disability (PwD) in the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon.

The participants with disabilities including low vision, hearing impairment and orthopaedic handicaps were accompanied by 30 helpers and took part under the category 'Champions with Disabilities'.

The main objective of the marathon was to provide an inclusive platform for them. With this commitment, the NSDC partnered with Sarthak Educational Trust, a civil society organization working towards the empowerment of PwD.

Dr Manish Kumar, the Managing Director and CEO of National Skill Development Corporation, said, "We believe, all individuals must be given equal rights to live with dignity and be given equal opportunities. Our collaboration with Sarthak Educational Trust is an endeavour to provide PWDs respectful livelihood and to eliminate the environment of social exclusion."

Dr Jitendra Aggarwal, the Founder of Sarthak Educational Trust also expressed his views on the initiative and stated, "We are ardent believers of an inclusive society and actively engage in creating a positive attitude towards PwD. We thank our trainers for showing complete grit and dedication in supporting the 40 candidates and building their morale. We hope with such initiatives, we can carve equal stature for persons with disability by providing them with a platform to access equal opportunities and resources."

The Great Delhi Run registered an unprecedented 16,962 runners. Ethiopia's Tsehay Gemechu won the marathon and added lustre to her triumph by smashing the course record she had set about a year ago.