Addressing the inaugural of Bharat Youth Activation Workshop here he said said the people who were differently-abled face several challenges in life and face ill-treatment when they want to achieve something in their lives.

This is the reason special athletes who have succeeded are the real heroes.Organisations like Special Olympics Bharat are training 7000 special athletes across the country, which is highly admirable, he added.

Promising his help and support to any efforts to help special athletes, the famed boxer advised the special athletes to ignore the taunts and criticism they face. " Never be scared of losses of defeats as it is only when you lose, you learn valuable lessons," he said.

In his welcome address, Air Marshal Denzil Keelor, Founder and CEO, Special Olympics, Bharat, said we are celebrating a very important initiative. The incubation of Special Olympics Youth leaders in the programme promises to significantly add to our plans for the formation of a unified generation tomorrow,

In the keynote address, Ambassador of Ecuador to India Hector Cueva Jacome, said his country has enacted laws to protect people with special abilities, who are estimated to be two percent of his country’s population. His government has also made it compulsory to hire persons with special abilities, he added.

The holding of Special Olympics is part of the overall effort to improve a lot of people with intellectual and physical challenges.

Mrs Aruna Oswal, Chairperson, Aruna Abhey Oswal Trust, said the trust supported efforts to empower the special athletes to become confident and dignified members of the society. Addressing a panel discussion on ‘Building Inclusive Communities through Partnerships’

A little over two years ago, Special Olympics Bharat had carried out a programme -Mission Inclusion, which reached out to more than 80,000 athletes, partners, families, youth and doctors through Unified Sports, Youth Activation and Healthy Athlete Programmes.

The Special Olympics, Bharat, held the youth Activation workshop to celebrate this success at the PHD House.