Event: 30 – hour Online Certificate Course on Disability Studies
Organised by: Centre for Disability Research and Training (CDRT) at Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi, in collaboration with the Department of Disability Studies, Arya Vidyapeeth College (Autonomous) and Shishu Sarothi
Date: 1st – 15th June, 2023
A 30 hours- 2 Credit online certificate course from 1st June to 15th June, 2023 was organised by the Centre for Disability Research and Training (CDRT), Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi in association with the Department of Disability Studies, Arya Vidyapeeth College (Autonomous) and Shishu Sarothi, a Guwahati based NGO working with children with multiple disabilities. The main objective of the course was to explore new areas of research in the domain of Disability Studies from an interdisciplinary perspective. Spread over 20 lectures of 1.5 Hours each, this course intended to explain the significance of Disability Studies in the mainstream academic institutions. A total number of 37 participants across the country from different prestigious institutions like Viswa Bharati, JNU, Hyderabad IIT, Patna IIT, Guwahati IIT, NEHU, Bangalore University, Tezpur University, etc, attended the course.
The course touched upon topics related to meaning, definition and language of disability, it’s sociological perspective, growth of disability studies as an academic discipline, portrayal of disability in Indian cinema, legal provisions for PWD, accessibility and universal design and harmonised guidelines for PWD, Inclusive Education, the importance of caregiving for PWD, the interconnection between Disability Studies and Medical Humanities, intersectionality between Gender and Disability Studies by prominent speakers like Ms. Diba Nahin, Dr. Rajeshree Borgohain, Dr. P.J. Gogoi, Dr. P Bhoopathi, Prof. Pramod Nayar, Ms. Deboshree Bhattacharjee, Dr. Mansi Grover, Ms. Amvalika Senapati, Mr. Dhanjeet Kalita, Ms. Mamta Ghosh, Dr. Mintu Bhattacharya. Mr. Kaustabh Kashyap, Ms. Mausana Nightingale Chowdhury, Dr. Nizara Hazarika, and Ms. Priyam Sinha.
The participants were assessed on the basis of a presentation in four sessions.The certificate course concluded with a valedictory session by Prof. Someshwar Sati, Coordinator, CDRT, Kirori Mal College who mapped out the future course of Disability Studies in India and hoped that courses of this kind will be conducted by more and more institutions. Certificates with grades were given to the participants upon the completion of the course. The course was a significant step in promoting academic discourse on Disability Studies in India and provided participants with a platform to explore new research areas and engage in meaningful discussions, contributing to the advancement of Disability Studies in the country.
