Heroes of Diversity - Sharing Stories to Create a Better World

New Delhi [India], August 29 (ANI/ATK): Eastern India's biggest brand conference, BrandEdge, hosted by the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI), was recently held at ITC Sonar Bangla on August 17, 2022. In the presence of many esteemed dignitaries from the communication sector across the country, this event hosted the launch of the most innovative solution to bring Diversity and Inclusion to the forefront, propagated to the masses through media and new-age techniques. 'Heroes of Diversity' (HOD) was launched at BrandEdge on August 17, 2022, at ITC Sonar Bangla.
Founded in 2022, 'Heroes of Diversity' is a collective initiative that shares with the world the inspirational journeys of empowerment of the 'heroes' of the diverse community. As shared by Sumit Agarwal, the Founding Member of the HOD Initiative, the core aim is to inspire the diverse community members to advocate for their own rights, while also appealing to the larger sections of society on the struggles that 'different' people need to face.
Being born with cerebral palsy, Sumit Agarwal himself witnessed first-hand the struggles that a differently-abled individual had to face in this country. He struggled to be accepted by his peers and elders throughout his childhood, and he was even rejected from numerous job opportunities due to his disabilities, despite having a high CGPA and the other necessary qualifications. This turn of events was an eye-opener for Sumit, and he realized that the reason why Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) were unable to rise in society, was due to the lack of knowledge and awareness of the public, regarding different disabilities and how to interact with people who are differently-abled.
Sumit Agarwal made it his life-long mission to make the world a better and more inclusive place for others, and he fought long and hard on the battlefield of Diversity & Inclusion, pushing his agenda of appealing to the greater public to accept PwDs as a part of Indian society. He founded the 'Heroes of Diversity' (HOD) initiative with the single goal to 'share stories to create a better world'.
The initiative involves sharing videos of the stories of people from diverse backgrounds, showcasing their uniqueness and abilities and how they overcome their life struggles, thus encouraging others from similar backgrounds to stand up for their own rights, and highlighting that compassion is the need of the hour to build a harmonious world. As Dr Niru Kumar, a pioneer in the DEI space, shares, "Everyone has a unique difference, and everyone has biases. 'Heroes of Diversity' are those who turned their unique difference into a success story, which brings out the wow factor! This inspires and mesmerizes others to achieve their own unique greatness, and it makes them believe that the earth is their home, and they have an important role to play right here right now."
Having reached out to his peers and mentors regarding the launch of this initiative, Sumit was overwhelmed and pleased to receive the support of many in ensuring that this initiative would be a success. Soon, the HOD Panel included Advisors and Partners - Dr Niru Kumar, National Icon and Board Member of National Advisory Committee, Founder and CEO of Ask Insights, Suraj Juneja, Founder and Chief Venture Builder at Freeflow Ventures, Founder and Director of MasterMentors, Meghdut Roy Chowdhury, Founder at Make Calcutta Relevant Again, Chief Innovation Officer at Techno India Group, and Nish Parikh, Co-Founder and CEO of Rangam Consultants, Chief Innovation Officer of SourceAbled.
Each of the HOD Advisors and Partners, along with their rich experience, brought a powerhouse of ideas and resources to the 'Heroes of Diversity' initiative, contributing to its success and impact. As Meghdut Roy Chowdhury shares "I had seen a message displayed on the London Underground which said "Be empathetic to those around you. You never know what disabilities they might have." It had really struck a chord within me. As an educator, I believe Diversity and Inclusion should be a part of every child's curriculum, and as an entrepreneur, I am working towards creating more inclusive spaces with the help of inspirational individuals like Sumit Agarwal. 'Heroes of Diversity' is a phenomenal initiative to create awareness around the power of communities with disabilities, and I have chosen to put my full weight behind it."
At the BrandEdge Event on August 17, 2022, at ITC Sonar Bangla, Sumit Agarwal, SDG Ambassador for Diversity and Inclusion, launched the 'Heroes of Diversity' initiative and received the 'The Indomitable Spirit Award' from Melinda Pavek, Consul General at U.S. Consulate General Kolkata and Sanjoy Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts.
The launch of 'Heroes of Diversity' at the BrandEdge Event was possible owing to Shri Soumyajit Mahapatra, Chairman of Public Relations Society of India, Kolkata Chapter. His contribution and support towards the initiative has played a key role in highlighting the goals to society and gaining adequate publicity. Soumyajit Mahapatra shares with readers, "Heroes of Diversity is a commendable step towards a brighter future. This initiative will change the game of the DEI horizon, paving the path for more and more PwDs to achieve empowerment and success with their life goals. I applaud Sumit Agarwal and the Partners of HOD for their commitment, drive and dedication towards creating a more inclusive and accepting future, where all of us stand united in our diversity. I am a proud ally of the HOD initiative and look forward to broadening its reach and impact. It has been an honour to host the launch at our BrandEdge Event."
The response the launch received was overwhelming, and the HOD Advisors and Partners are looking forward to ensuring the success of this initiative. As Suraj Juneja shares, "I'm very excited about Sumit's initiative, 'Heroes of Diversity' and I think it is very important to spread information and awareness about diverse groups of people in our country, and the stories they have to tell. I would be delighted to support him in all forms of this initiative, and we are already working together towards many activities pertaining to Diversity and Inclusion."
As Sumit Agarwal shares, "I started Heroes of Diversity to share stories of people like me, people with disabilities, people from LGBTQ, people whose stories deserve to be told and celebrated!", 'Heroes of Diversity' thrives to create a united world where all people live in harmony, irrespective of how different we are from each other. Sumit Agarwal pledges, "I will keep speaking up till every person with a disability has the right to education, till every person with a disability has a job, till every person with a disability gets to live with dignity."
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