More than two dozen differently abled delegates at the ongoing ‘Purple Fest’, got a taste of the sea and sand at Panaji’s Miramar beach on Saturday, with Drishti Marine’s lifesavers coming to their assistance, in this one-of-a-lifetime opportunity.
Delegates from across India have been invited to “Purple Fest: Celebrating Diversity”, which is organized by the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities. And among the many events held in Panaji “Fun at the Beach” was one such event which was supervised by Drishti Marine.
Drishti’s lifesavers oversaw the event, assisting the delegates in taking a brief dip in the sea off Miramar beach.
Miramar Beach was specially outfitted with a special ramp for the festival, allowing delegates in wheelchairs to visit the shore. The delegates were then transferred to specially modified wheelchairs with inflatable wheels. The special wheelchairs were supplied by a Mumbai based company, Seedee Wheelchairs. Two lifesavers escorted each delegate into the water, where they were free to enjoy the waves and cool sea water.
Speaking on the event, Navin Awasthi, Operations Head at Drishti Marine, says “Drishti is in collaboration with the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities to oversee the comfort of the various delegates from across India at the beach. We have welcomed delegates from Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru and so on. The tyres of the specially modified wheelchairs have adequate buoyancy to float in the water. The lifesavers helped the individuals wade into the water, giving them an opportunity to feel the sea and its joys for themselves.”
Pooja, a delegate from the state of Delhi who has been in a wheelchair for ten years, shared her experience in the waters of Miramar. “I’ve had a really enjoyable time being able to experience water in the manner I have. I felt free and very much alive,” she said.
During the first two days of the festival, the Drishti lifesavers assisted twenty-seven delegates to wade into the shallow end of the sea. The delegates were from various Indian states and from various walks of life. The event drew both children and adults. Doctors, dentists, and software engineers were among the attendees.
