CM presents Ability Foundation award to 3

Chennai, Mar 4 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today said the society has to take care of the disabled passionately.

Speaking after presenting the Cavin Kare Awards for the disabled under the auspicious of the Chennai-based NGO Ability Foundation at a glittering function here, he said only those who shower love, friendship and affection to the disabled and show them the way to lead a normal life were ''really the abled people.'' Mr Karunanidhi said the government alone cannot provide all help to the disabled and the poor. ''It is philanthropists and businessman like Cavin Kare Chairman C K Ranganathan, who instituted the award, must show the way.'' The Chief Minister recalled that when the DMK first came to power under the leadership of late C N Annadurai, it evolved special schemes for the disabled. However, the government alone cannot look after all the disabled and the poor, he added.

This year, the Ability Foundation honoured Kali Vinod Tiwari, a person paralysed by polio, but who went on to set up his own steel fabrication enterprise, producing vehicles for other disabled.

Mr Tiwari, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, was honoured with the Ability Award for Eminence.

Mr Tiwari developed the first auto tri-wheeler in 1978 for the disabled which is now facilitating mobility to hundreds of similarly disabled persons.

Honoured with Ability Mastery Awards, Anjali Arora, who lost her sight at a young age but coped with the tragedy and went on to achieve her goal of becoming a lawyer and Neha Bensal, a tetraplegic paralysed neck down, who relentlessly pursued her goal of becoming a Chartered Accountant. Both were from New Delhi.

While Mr Tiwari was presented a cash award of Rs two lakh, Anjali and Neha were presented Rs one lakh each.

Music maestro A R Rahman, who participated in the function, presented the cash awards to the three.

Rahman, also held a special piano concert in honour of the award winners.

National Women Commission Chairperson Mohini Giri and Film Director Nagesh Kukunoor, who were in the jury for the award and Poet Kanimozhi participated in the function.

UNI