Bhubaneswar: Principal Secretary SSEPD, Bishnupada Sethi has said that White canes have played a major role in building a prosperous society. White canes have a significant contribution to make a visually impaired person self-reliant in the society.
Principal Secretary Shri Sethi was addressing the State-wide World White Cane Day 2024 organized by the Department of Social Security and Empowerment of the Disabled under the auspices of the State Institute of Special Education and Research (SISER).
Shri Sethi said by instilling self-confidence in the mind, white canes instills confidence in the society so that an individual can assert the right to equality.
White cane empowers the visually impaired to integrate the visually impaired with the general public in order to build an inclusive society, said Principal Secretary, Shri Sethi.
He said that white cane Day is very important in building an inclusive society.
Starting with a beautiful line by saint poet Bhim Bhoi, Shri Sethi said that the Government of Odishahas initiated efforts to establish the country’s first University for the visually impaired.
Niyati Patnaik, Director SSEPD and SISER, along with Additional Secretary, Santosh Kumar Pradhan, launched the awareness rally by waving the flag.
Additional Secretary Deepak Kumar Rautray and Deputy Secretary Sanyashai Kumar Beheraa ddressed the gathering, attended by more than six hundred students along with teachers and other dignitaries also.
In the rally, the participating students played drums, trumpets, cymbals and jhumkas and gave various awareness messages through road-side plays, pyramids and slogans.
The rally covered the distance from the State Rural Development Institute gate to Stewart School Street. The artistry and skills of the visually impaired students amazed everyone.
The program was successfully organized with the cooperation of all concerned departments. A large number of people joined the march and encouraged the students in attendance.