“Breaking Barriers: Celebrating the Diverse Abilities of Individuals”

A bird resting on a branch and fishermen at dusk share a commonality: they captivated the gaze of a photographer living with a disability. The photographs produced from this endeavor were featured as some of the prize-winning submissions in this year’s Global Ability Photography Challenge, an initiative spearheaded by YouthJobs, a nonprofit entity based in India dedicated to facilitating educational and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

Entering its third consecutive year, this photography contest — administered via YouthJobs’ digital platform NotJustArt, with support from U.N. India and UNESCO — garnered a total of submissions from different nations.

Individuals with disabilities not only…

“Individuals with disabilities possess unique narratives that are often inaccessible to those without such experiences,” states Vicky Roy, a distinguished photographer and one of the judges for this year’s competition. He sought photographs that conveyed compelling stories and evoked profound emotional responses, while also excelling in composition, creativity, originality, subject matter, timing, and lighting.

Let us take a moment to examine the eight award recipients, who embody a diverse array of disabilities, encompassing speech and hearing impairments, cognitive challenges, and limited vision.

Fifty feet away from the Bhushi Dam’s wall in Lonavala, he expressed concern about the future of the individual depicted in this photograph, who was elevated high above to provide amusement for others.

Observing the young performer by the Atal pedestrian bridge in Ahmedabad, I was profoundly moved by his struggles — engaging in a perilous act to support his family at an age when he ought to have been attending school, while his parents solicited donations from the onlookers, Kulkarni remarks.

At the time of his unfortunate incident, Kulkarni was completing the final year of his engineering undergraduate program.

The realization that I may never walk again struck me more profoundly than the extensive years of treatment and rehabilitation, which ultimately postponed my return to college while using a wheelchair, he reflects. I am thankful for the unwavering support of my family, as well as for my position at Helpers of the Handicapped in Kolhapur, where my earnings permit me to travel and explore new places while capturing photographs.

An intriguing guest perched upon an ancient tree

Nithin Yadagiri, a -year-old individual with an intellectual disability, has a tendency to mimic the actions of those around him.

Aswathi Yadagiri, the mother of Nithin, accompanied her family during a tour at the Kolleru Bird Sanctuary in November . During this excursion, he eagerly participated in capturing images of a remarkably vibrant parrot alongside other visitors.

The bird’s striking and vivid hues particularly caught his attention. Nithin can easily identify fundamental colors such as red, green, and blue; however, he finds ‘mixed’ shades like purple or magenta quite perplexing, explains Yadagiri.

In the backdrop, fishermen cast their nets against the dusky illumination of the Godavari River, with the bridge artfully outlined in silhouette.

Sai Mohith will always cherish the moment he captured this picturesque scene in while in the company of friends.

At the riverside, he observed a fisherman skillfully maintaining his vessel’s position in the Godavari, a river notorious for its turbulent waters, while his colleagues cast their nets. This scene evoked reflections on the efforts we make to navigate through life’s adversities, he remarks.

I empathized with their challenges, Mohith expresses, not solely due to my lifelong blindness in the left eye, but also owing to my diminished vision in the right eye.

This was the final image he managed to capture. A week later, he experienced an ocular condition that necessitated five surgical procedures.

In Summary

In conclusion, the enchanting experience of capturing the vibrant parrot alongside friends amidst the tranquil backdrop of the Godavari River will forever hold a special place in Sai Mohith’s heart. The striking colors of the bird served not only as a reminder of nature’s beauty but also as a testament to the joy of shared moments with loved ones. As Nithin navigated his own understanding of colors, it reinforced the idea that beauty can be both simple and complex, offering something unique to each observer. The silhouettes of fishermen casting their nets against the dusky sky added a layer of serenity to their adventure, blending the chaos of life with moments of stillness. This memory, rich with visual splendor and camaraderie, encapsulates the essence of exploration and connection, reminding us all to cherish these fleeting encounters in our own journeys.