After losing eyesight at 38, man sets up adventure sports club for disabled TNN | Jun 7, 2016, 10.41 AM IST PUDUCHERRY: When 38-year-old Divyanshu Ganatra suddenly lost his eyesight he, by his own admission, became acquainted with India's silent minority -the community of the differently-abled.
A sports enthusiast himself, Ganatra started the Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation (ABBF) in Pune, a not for profit which offers differently-abled sports enthusiasts the chance to try out some adrenalin-rush-inducing sports options from scuba diving to paragliding, tandem cycling, marathon, decathlon etc. In Puducherry and Chennai over the weekend to pep-talk to the students of Satya Special School for the differently abled and organize a marathon featuring blind and deaf girls as well as those with intellectual disabilities, Ganatra is on a mission to bring about a change in Indian mindsets. "The barrier of social attitudes comes from not knowing enough and ABBF is an effort to get both communities - the abled and the differently abled - to play together so both go back friends," he said. "For my community of the differently abled, being able to try out something like adventure sports is a huge confidence booster sending out the signal that anything is possible." Ganatra should know. Two years ago, he became a pilot and flew solo despite his disability. "Trouble is after that I became an exception but nothing changed for the community," he said. That's when the idea of ABBF hit him. Started in October 2014, the foundation has reached out to 1.5 lakh people so far including 2000 with disabilities "and we're not funded at all". Ganatra, who won the Vice President's medal for welfare of persons with disabilities, is actively involved in several projects concerning accessibility issues. ABBF has conducted mountaineering camps including up to the Everest base camp, treks, marathons triathlons and duathlons, tandem cycling, para gliding, scuba diving all featuring a mixed group of abled-bodied and differently-abled participants. list of 2 items Are you a strategic thinker? Test your skills with million..Soldiers: Free Online Game End Your Nightly Snoring Nightmare With This Simple SolutionMy Snoring Solution list end Recommended By Colombia "Everybody does the same things and there's no differentiation - the only help we offer those with disabilities are some special equipment and training support because safety is paramount," he said. Among its regular events are the city-wise marathons. The Chennai event for instance featured 6 deaf and blind and 36 blind girl participants and another 20 with intellectual disabilities. "In Hyderabad around 300 girls ran the marathon and we had 350 in Bangalore," said Ganatra. ABBF is armed with specialist instructors, many of them trained and certified abroad. "Our motto is don't push too hard because safety comes first," said Ganatra. "We've worked with paraplegics and quadriplegics who went in for scuba diving," he added. "Our instructor first certifies them in confined water after which they are ready for open water. Once they go open they get an international certificate which allows them to dive anywhere," he explained. सादर / With thanks & Regards राजेश आसुदानी Rajesh Asudani सहायक महाप्रबन्धक AGM बाजार आसूचना ईकाई MIU भारतीय रिजर्व बैंक Reserve Bank of India नागपुर Nagpur 0712 2806846 President VIBEWA Co-Moderator VIB-India A-pilll = Action coupled with Positivity, Interest, Love, Logic and laughter. ________________________________ Caution: The Reserve Bank of India never sends mails, SMSs or makes calls asking for personal information such as your bank account details, passwords, etc. It never keeps or offers funds to anyone. Please do not respond in any manner to such offers, however official or attractive they may look. Notice: This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. 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