Bhopal, June 2 -- Union minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan visited the office of the Cricket Association for the Blind in Bhopal of Madhya Pradesh on Monday and donated a modern ambulance for the disabled, funded through his MPLAD (Member of Parliament Local Area Development) Fund.
Raghvendra Sharma, Chairperson of the association and BJP State Office Secretary, welcomed the minister and presented a short film detailing the association's work.
During the visit, the minister also honoured national blind cricketer Sonu Golkar, India's first Vikram Award recipient among the visually impaired, for his outstanding contributions to blind cricket. The minister praised Golkar's achievements as an inspiration for countless others in the disabled community.
Addressing office bearers, members of the association and blind cricketers, Murugan lauded the organisation's efforts in providing a platform for visually impaired individuals to excel in sports and acquire life skills for self-reliance. "This is one of the few places in the country where disabled individuals are being trained not only to participate in sports at the state and national levels but also to develop the skills necessary to become self-reliant," he said.
He further commended the association for bringing together professionals from diverse fields-bureaucrats, doctors, professors, advocates, journalists, social workers, and political leaders-united in their mission to serve and uplift the weaker sections of society.
The minister visited the association's community radio newsroom and assured that he would return to inaugurate it soon. He also noted the association's efforts in providing job opportunities for the blind, helping integrate them into mainstream society.
Praising national and state leadership, Murugan highlighted the strong initiatives led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav for the empowerment of persons with disabilities. "The government is committed to bringing the disabled community into the mainstream of development," he added.
Senior BJP leader Rajendra Dixit, CEO Bhupesh Bhargava, and Roop Singh Kirar were also present.
Raghvendra Sharma informed that the association supports over 6,000 disabled individuals, including 1,000 girls, and provides them with training and employment support under PM Modi's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
During the visit to the city, the minister also took part in an event organised by Doordarshan, Bhopal.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.