MAM
CavinKare Ability Awards for achievers with disabilities
MUMBAI: The CavinKare Ability Awards ceremony recognized and honoured three people who have done just that.
A press release states that this ‘one of a kind’ award has been instituted to celebrate the outstanding achievements of a few disabled people who have proved that disability is all in the mind and one can achieve anything through determination and commitment.
An eminent jury selected the winners from a short-listed 13 after the meticulous evaluation of about 170 applicants. The panel of judges included Javed Akhtar, Maniratnam, N Vittal, Mohini Giri and Jayshree Ravindran. Justice A.S Anand, Chairman, National Human Rights Commission, presented the Awards at an award ceremony on 16 March 2003.
The winners were: Naseema Mohamed Amin Hurzuk from Kohlapur was honored with the CavinKare Ability Award for Eminence for her contribution to the disabled community through her NGO, “Helpers of The Handicapped”. A paraplegic from the age of 16, she is the role model and icon for many like her who nurture the dream of living a normal, independent life in main stream society, says a release.
Through her organization, Naseema has rehabilitated over 8,000 physically handicapped children with medical aid and vocational training. Among other activities, she runs an integrated school, hostel and cooperative credit society, adds the release.
The release says that Buse Gowda, the first blind person to learn classical dance, was one of the recipients of the CavinKare Ability Mastery Award. He is now part of a dance troupe called Natyanjalliand has given over a thousand dance performances, both in India and abroad. In 1996, he was the first blind person to successfully complete a two-hour ‘ranga pravesham’. Hailing from Bangalore, he also runs his own travel agency.
The release also states Pradeep Sinha, a deaf-blind person from Mumbai, was the other awardee for the CavinKare Ability Mastery Award. For one who can neither hear, speak nor see, he has come a long way to become an assistant at a Braille press and a trained masseuse. He even trains other handicapped children at the Braille press. He is proficient with the computer, lives independently and commutes everyday by bus to his place of work all alone.
The release says that each life story was indeed a window to the daily battles faced by persons with disabilities and how these can be overcome. Their accomplishments have been particularly noteworthy and of inestimable value and have set a fine example to the entire public domain. The winners have demonstrated what others could wish to emulate. Choosing realistic career options, enjoying healthy lifestyles and leading normal lives to make them more that just a face in the crowd.
The release also adds that CavinKare, a consumer products company, along with Ability Foundation, an NGO working to integrate persons with disability into main stream society, have instituted these awards in association with The New Indian Express Group of Publications and EventXpress, a frontline event management firm, to celebrate the exemplary spirit of that rare breed of individuals who have risen above their disabilities and displayed that attitude is everything.
Brands
JioStar rolls out Ek Hoke Dekh campaign for 2026 TATA IPL season
Star cricketers front film celebrating unity beyond rivalries and regions
MUMBAI: JioStar has unveiled its campaign for the TATA IPL 2026, titled Ek Hoke Dekh, bringing together some of India’s top cricketers in a bid to celebrate unity amid fierce sporting rivalries.
The campaign film features Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Krunal Pandya, Tilak Verma and Mohammed Siraj, weaving a narrative that moves beyond geography and team loyalties to highlight how the league brings fans together.
Conceptualised by ZeroFifty and produced by Jamic Films, the film opens with a moment of everyday friction before the cricketers step in to reframe the idea of belonging through the lens of the IPL. The story builds towards a coming together of rival fans, echoing the campaign’s core message of unity.
“With 18 seasons behind us, team fandom has evolved into a social phenomenon,” said JioStar head of content, sports Siddharth Sharma. He added that the league blurs cultural lines and brings people together in a way few other events can.
For the players, the message hits close to home. “While we belong to a certain part of the country, fans in our franchise cities embrace us as their own,” said Ruturaj Gaikwad, highlighting the emotional connect that defines the tournament.
The creative team sees the campaign as both a reflection and an invitation. “The TATA IPL divides fans by franchise, but also compels them to come together and enjoy the game,” said ZeroFifty co-founder Shriram Iyer.
As the 2026 season gears up, the campaign sets the tone for what promises to be another high-energy edition of the league, featuring a mix of rising stars and seasoned heavyweights.
With Ek Hoke Dekh, JioStar is betting on a simple but powerful idea. Rivalries may fuel the game, but it is unity that keeps the spectacle alive.
