Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The International Purple Fest, Goa 2025, scheduled from October 9–12, will showcase inclusion and accessibility on a global stage with 21 Purple Ambassadors representing every disability recognized under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, alongside a special focus on spinal cord injury. Among the ambassadors are three Goans—Sadiya Bandodkar, Sakshi Kale, and Xerif Shaik—bringing local voices to this international platform.
Hon’ble Minister for Social Welfare Shri Subhash Phal Dessai highlighted, “The selection of 21 Purple Ambassadors, including three inspiring leaders from Goa, reflects the true spirit of International Purple Fest 2025. Their journeys—from sports to fashion, education to advocacy—demonstrate that inclusion is empowerment.” State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Shri Guruprasad Pawaskar added that the ambassadors exemplify leadership and change-making, showing that persons with disabilities are not just participants but catalysts for societal reform.
From Goa, Sadiya Bandodkar, a hearing-impaired entrepreneur and founder of Sadiya Fashions & Earrings, has championed accessible design and was the second runner-up at the Mrs. India Deaf Fashion Contest 2023. Xerif Shaik, living with severe haemophilia, brings 25 years of experience in electronics, IT, and university administration, while also serving as joint treasurer of the Haemophilia Society Panaji Chapter. Sakshi Kale, a low-vision T12 para-athlete, has represented India internationally, including at the World Para Athletics Championships, Paris 2025, and advocates for inclusive sports infrastructure in rural areas.
The 18 other ambassadors span India and represent achievements across arts, sports, health, policy, advocacy, and entrepreneurship. Notable participants include Danish Mahajan, a visually impaired broadcaster from Punjab; Suvarna Raj, Delhi-based international para-athlete and disability rights activist; Dr. Preethi Shrinivasan, a spinal cord injury survivor and founder of Soulfree; and Pranav Bakhshi, India’s first model with autism. Each ambassador brings unique lived experiences and professional achievements, underscoring that accessibility is a tool for empowerment, leadership, and innovation.
The International Purple Fest 2025 aims to demonstrate how inclusion can be embedded in communities, towns, and villages across India, turning accessibility from a promise into everyday practice. The Purple Ambassadors are not just representatives—they are torchbearers of change, showing that equality, dignity, and leadership for persons with disabilities are achievable and transformative.
