Seminars & Awareness Campaign

1.	Disability Awareness Camp on 20th February, 2006 It was organised by the Social Action and Research Foundation (SARF) in the premises of Govt. Secondary School, Khutauna , Madhubani (Bihar) with the basic objective of generating awareness about disability, rehabilitation and empowerment issues among the laymen, panchayatiraj activists, bureaucrats and social activists involved in rendering/ delivering/ implementing governmental schemes and programmes meant for the persons with disabilities. Among the prominent speakers who attended in the progamme include Shri Umakant Yadav (Member, Bihar Legislative Assembly), Dr R. T. Agrawal (Social Psychologist, AIIMS, New Delhi), Prof. Vishwa Nath Yadav (Head of Department of Mathematics, CMJ College, Donwarihat, Madhubani), Shri Ram Tahal Thakur 'Prabhakar' (a local social activist), Smt. Sandhya Kumari (President, SARF) and Shri Ajay Kumar Karn (Secretary, SARF).
2.	HIV AIDS Awareness Programme, 8th March, 2006 Organised by the SARF in the Campus of Darbhanga Medical College Hospital, Laheriasarai, Darbhanga (Bihar), it was inaugurated by Dr R. N. Das (Ex- Civil Surgeon and Darbhanga - based senior surgeon). A galaxy of doctors, surgeons, government officials, panchayatiraj workers and social activists working in disability and allied areas articulated their viewpoints on the occasion.
3.	Literacy Promotion Progrmme, on 15th March 2006 Conducted by the SARF at the local Khadi Bhandar, Hirani, Kuseshwarsthan Darbhanga (Bihar). Around 100 illiterate persons or first learners attended the programme and they were imparted teaching about the basics?Hindi, Arithmetic, Health and Hygiene. Apart from the functionaries of the SARF, local intellectuals also supported the literacy programme and social activists who played their part in helping conduct it.
4.	Seminar on Empowerment of the Women, on 30th April, 2006 Organised by the SARF at CM College, Darbhanga (Bihar) with a view to creating awareness about the empowerment issues of the women in the contemporary perspective. The seminar was attended by a number of faculties of LNM University, Darbhanga, Bihar.
5.	5 National Congress on "Disability Studies in India: New Directions for Future", on 5th- 8th July, 2006
6.	National Seminar on "Employment Rights of Disabled Women in India", on 8th to 11th March, 2007 This National Seminar was organized at Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, New Delhi on 8th ? 11th March 2007 under the auspices of the Social Action and Research Foundation in collaboration with Society for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies, New Delhi. This was Inaugurated by Hon?ble Dr Najma Heptulla (MP- Rajya Sabha & Currently Chairperson, Parliamentary Committee on Subordinate Legislation, Govt. of India) . A galaxy of distinguished figures (including Dr Kirit Parikh, Member, Planning Commission, Govt. of India, Prof Yogesh Tyagi/JNU, Prof P R Ramanujam /IGNOU, Prof. Pushpesh Pant /JNU) graced the occasion.
7.	National Seminar on "Disability Rights Movement in India: Past, Present and Future", on 23rd March, 2007 The National Seminar on " Disability Rights Movement in India: Past, Present and Future" was organized at Chandigarh on 23rd March 2007 in collaboration with Society for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies , New Delhi and Institute for the Blind, Chandigarh . Inaugurated by Hon?ble Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal (Union Minister of State for Finance), the seminar was grand success in generating awareness in that part of the country. Inaugural Session was chaired by Dr B N S Walia (Ex-Director, PGIMER, Chandigarh). A galaxy of distinguished figures (including Dr S C Laroiya ? Director-NITTTR, Chandigarh, Dr B S Chavan?Joint Director,GIMR, Chandigarh, Maj. Gen. Rajendra Nath-Chairman , Institute for the Blind , Chandigarh, Dr Baljit Kapoor?Principal, CCET, Chandigarh , Shri Ajay Srivastava--Chairman , SDRS-Himachal Chapter , Shimla) graced the occasion .
8.	National Symposium on "Sexual Empowerment of Disabled Women in India", on 2nd to 4th October, 2007 A 3 days National Symposium was held at the Auditorium of National Association for the Blind, Bangalore on 2nd ?4th October 2007 ? Tuesday to Thursday (on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti ) in collaboration with Society for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies ,New Delhi and National Association for the Blind , Bangalore , The symposium was attended by more than 100 delegates , including academics , social and disability rights activists , representatives of Government of India as also the Government of Karnataka and voluntary organizations . Dr Shalini Rajnish, IAS (Principal Secretary to the Government of Karnataka, Department of Women and Child Development, inaugurated the symposium. A galaxy of distinguished figures (including Dr A Jayagovind ? Vice Chancellor, National Law School of India University, Bangalore, Dr V. Veda Murthy- Director, Department of Disabled Welfare, Government of Karnataka, Dr Vijayalakshmi Bhardwaj ?Director, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore, graced the occasion.
9.	National Workshop on Sexual Empowerment of Disabled Persons in India, on 4th to 6th October, 2008 A 3 Days National Workshop was held at Auditorium/Conference Room of Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh on 4th ? 6th October,2008 (Saturday-Monday) on the Occasion of Gandhi Jayanti in collaboration with Society for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies ,New Delhi and Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh. The Workshop was attended by more than 300 delegates, including academics, social and disability rights activists, representatives of Government of India as also the UT Administration of Chandigarh and voluntary organizations. Dr K K Talwar famous cardiologist & Director, PGIMER, Chandigarh) inaugurated the Workshop. A galaxy of distinguished figures (including Dr Raj Bahadur ? Director, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh, Dr J. P. Singh, Member Secretary, RCI, Govt. of India, Major General Rajendra NAth , Chairman, Institute for the Blind, Chandigarh, Professor G. L. Reddy, Dean School of Education and HRD, Dravidian University, Kuppam (AP)) graced the occasion.
10.	National Symposium on "Teaching of Disability Studies in India : Role of Distance Education", on 22nd to 24th January, 2009 A 3 days National Symposium was held at the Auditorium of Dravidian University, Kuppam on 22nd ?24th January, 200 ? Thursday to Saturday in collaboration with Society for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies ,New Delhi and School of Education and HRD, Dravidian University, Kuppam (AP). The symposium was attended by more than 200 delegates, including academics, social and disability rights activists, representatives of Government of India as also the Government of Andhra Pradesh and voluntary organizations. Dr K C Reddy (noted Economist & Chairman, Andhra Pradesh Council for Higher Education) inaugurated the Symposium. A galaxy of distinguished figures (including Dr Ramanaiah ?VC, Dravidian University, Kuppam (AP), Professor G. L. Reddy, Dean, School of Education and HRD, Dravidian University, Kuppam (AP)) graced the occasion.
11.	National Workshop on "Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Disabled Persons in Rural India", on 22nd to 25th March, 2009 A 4 Days National Workshop on "Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Disabled Persons in Rural India" ? presumably the first the venture of its kind in disability sector in rural area was organized in collaboration with Society for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies ,New Delhi at Conference Room, CMJ College, Donwarihat, Madhubani (Bihar) on 22nd ? 25th March, 2009(Sunday to Wednesday) . Dr Manoj Kumar (Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Govt. of India) inaugurated the Workshop. Around 35 outstation experts, professionals and social activists from different part of the country made presentations at and participated in deliberations of the programme . Around 1000 participants (including the stakeholders- i.e. the persons with disabilities from Donwarihat and adjoining areas of Madhubani as also neighboring Darbhanga, Samastipur and Begusarai districts of Bihar) attended the workshop.
12.	3-day National Symposium on "Accessibility of Water and Sanitation for Persons with Disabilities in India" at ISEC, Bangalore on 25th to 26th March, 2010
13.	National Workshop on " Disability Studies and Inclusive Education: Implications for Policy Perspective in India" at Gold Field College of Education, Bagarpet, Kolar (Karnataka) in Collaboration with Gold Field College of Education, Bagarpet, Kolar on 26th to 28th March 20011
14.	4- day National Symposium on "Designing Roads for Disabled Pedestrians in India" at Conference Room , Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi on 1st to 4th March 2012 in Collaboration with Society for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies, New Delhi