Thousands of people participate in run for disabled in Delhi

New Delhi: In an endeavour to promote awareness about the cause of the disabled and spread light and hope in their lives, a run for 'divyang' children was organised in the capital on Sunday.

Thousands of disabled children took part in the fourth edition of the 'Run 4 cause Tarey', organised by the Dr Lal Singh foundation at the Nehru park at Chanakyapuri.

The 'Run 4 Cause Tarey', saw 'divyang' people run along with the general public to spread awareness for their cause.

The guests of honour at the event included chairman of the all India anti-terrorist front M S Bitta and Deputy chairman of the NDMC Karan Singh Tanwar.

Addressing the occasion, Mr Tanwar said it was good to see the huge enthusiasm among the 'divyang' children to participate in the run.

Lauding the initiative taken by the Dr Lal Singh Foundation to spread awareness of the cause of these children, Mr Tanwar said he was ready to provide all possible help to them in this endeavour.

Dr Lal Singh Foundation president Sanjeev Chawla said,''The run is being organised to showcase the talent and super willpower of disabled children and adults and to salute the hard work and patience of their parents.

It is their endeavour to show to the world that disability cannot prevent someone from achieving the goals that the destiny has laid down for them.''

Organised every year on the occasion of World Autism Day, the 'Run 4 cause Tarey' is an initiative to create awareness and uplift of people with special needs in society.

''Our foundation aims at making the world a better place for people with disability by discarding the stereotypes and the negativity that surrounds them. In case of these people, the problem is not the person's disability but the society's viewpoint of their abilities,'' Dr Chawla said.

Stressing the need to change the perceptions and mindset in society towards people with disbility, Dr Chawla said,''There needs to be a lot more emphasis on what a child can do rather than what he cannot. We are trying to stop disability from becoming a tragedy by giving support and the required confidence to these special ones because they are just different, not less. Special needs people are blessed with exceptional courageousness and a warm heart.

''We have to eliminate the inability to see the ability of these special people in our society,'' he said, adding that there was no commercial angles and activities involved in the event.

''Everything in this event, from entry, participation, gift vouchers, T shirts, caps, goody bags, water bottles all are free of cost and is an effort from the Dr Lal Singh Foundation,'' he said.

The event included a run for children with special needs, a run for general people, a walk for elderly and eminent personalities, a fashion show of special needs children and a dance performance by them.