Nandavanam Charitable Trust celebrated the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3rd with an event titled ‘Inclusive Art’ at KSN Senior Secondary School, Thiruvanmiyur. The program brought together children and adults with special needs, students from KSN School, volunteers, and well-wishers. The goal was to raise awareness about inclusivity and provide participants with an opportunity to express themselves through art in an inclusive environment.
During the event, the Nandavanam Outstanding Achievement Award was presented to Dr. K. Raghuraman, an Assistant Professor in the Department of English at Government Arts College for Men. Despite his visual impairment, Dr. Raghuraman has made significant strides and is an advocate for persons with disabilities. He also serves on the Tamil Nadu State Advisory Board for Differently-Abled and as an Honorary Advisor to the Karna Vidya Foundation. Following the award presentation, Dr. Raghuraman participated in an interactive session with children, answering their questions about his challenges, support system, and how they can contribute to promoting inclusivity. He emphasised the importance of understanding and changing attitudes toward differently-abled individuals to foster a more equal society.
The celebration also featured a variety of art-based activities that promoted collaboration between students and differently-abled participants. These activities included Art with Nature, Clay work, Wet-on-Wet painting, Sand and Seashell art, Paper Craft, and Quilling. Renowned artists Jacob Jebaraj and Ranjani Jacob from Cholamandal Artist Village led a collaborative live art session, where participants expressed themselves through painting.
The event received praise from the school’s academic advisor, who noted that it offered students valuable opportunities to engage with their peers in a meaningful way, deepening their understanding of inclusivity. Many students expressed that the art activities helped them relax and de-stress.
