DCCI joins Ladakh Expedition led by 'divyangjan' from Delhi
Jun 13, 2022
New Delhi [India], June 14 : A team of wheelchair users/Divyangjans undertaking the daunting task of travelling to Ladakh by their disabled-friendly cars reached Delhi this Sunday night.
The 16-Day Ladakh expedition by the Dviyangjans was flagged-off from Lucknow by Naveen Sehgal, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh on June 12, 2022.
A huge crowd of supporters from the differently-abled sports community and para-sports/wheelchair cricket players gathered to see off the expedition team on Sunday morning at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.
The Ladakh expedition team consists of Wheelchair Cricket India Association's Founder/President and Former Indian Air Force Fighter Pilot, Sqn Ldr Abhai Pratap Singh (Retd.) from Lucknow, Vijay Singh Bisht- former Indian wheelchair cricket player from Lucknow, Somjeet Singh- Captain of Indian wheelchair cricket team from Lucknow and Sunil Mangal- Disability Activist from Kanpur, was also joined by Ravi Kant Chauhan, General Secretary Of the Differently-Abled Cricket Council Of India (BCCI approved body) and Member of the Differently-abled Cricket Committee, BCCI.
Sqn Ldr Abhai Pratap Singh (Retd.) said, "Our team of wheelchair users/divyangjans will cover more than 4000 kilometres of distance during our expedition to Ladakh. A team of professional videographers is accompanying us with the objective to shoot a documentary showcasing the grit of Divyangjans and the issues faced by them in their daily life."
This is the first of many expeditions planned by WCIA through the #DriveWithAbility Campaign and after the Ladakh expedition in 2022 we will be undertaking a 6000-plus kilometre Golden-Quadrilateral Circuit in 2023, which is already in the planning stage," he added.
Sqn Ldr Abhai Pratap Singh (Retd.), a wheelchair user himself, was an Indian Air Force fighter pilot and is the founder/president of Wheelchair Cricket India Association.
Ravikant Chauhan said, "The issue of accessibility and disability awareness is not even noticed by the general public. Campaigns like these are very important so that society starts noticing the differently-abled community and knows what issues and challenges are faced by them, then only positive change in the society will follow."
Ravikant Chauhan further added, "This is the first time in the history of Cricket that BCCI took some concrete steps towards the development of differently-abled cricket in India. Historical decisions are being taken for the formalisation of Divyang Cricket in India and through this Ladakh expedition, our differently-abled Cricket community is also celebrating these decisions by BCCI."
The Expedition Team then reached the National War Memorial to pay their respects to the martyrs and then embarked on the journey of disability awareness towards their next destination- Chandigarh.
