Sankalp Mela 2026 Builds a Local Platform for Awareness, Aspiration and Access for Persons with Disabilities
Secunderabad: Sankalp Mela 2026 was held in Telangana as a hyperlocal awareness platform, bringing together persons with disabilities, their families, government representatives, civil society organisations, employers and service providers. The Mela focused on improving awareness and understanding of available government schemes, skilling and employment pathways, and assistive technologies, enabling participants and their families to make informed decisions and build aspirations within the state’s disability ecosystem.
The event was inaugurated in the presence of the Chief Guest, Ms. Mothe Srilatha Shobhan Reddy, Deputy Mayor, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, along with Mr. T. Padma Rao Goud, Member of the Telangana Legislative Assembly, underscoring the Government of Telangana’s focus on building inclusive systems for persons with disabilities.
Organised by EnAble India and hosted by GarvSe partner Blue Foundation, with support from Allegis Global Solutions and Telangana GarvSe partners, Sankalp Mela is designed to ensure that persons with disabilities receive the right guidance from the earliest stages of their journey, spanning education, rehabilitation, skilling, employment and independent living. The Mela brings together a wide range of stakeholders in the disability ecosystem, including government representatives, assistive technology companies, special education schools and other organisations, providing participants and their families with structured pathways, credible information and meaningful connections.
Despite progressive policies, many persons with disabilities, particularly in rural and semi urban areas, continue to face fragmented access to information, services and opportunities. Lack of awareness about government schemes, limited exposure to skilling and employment pathways, and the absence of a common networking platform often prevent families from navigating the disability ecosystem effectively. Platforms like Sankalp Mela address these gaps by bringing information, services and stakeholders together in one accessible space, enabling early intervention, informed decision making, and stronger linkages across education, employment and independent living.
Moses Chowdari Gorrepati, Chief Operating Officer and Trustee, EnAble India, said: “Information related to disability is spread across multiple systems such as education, employment, livelihood opportunities, legal frameworks and government services, and navigating from one service to another often takes time. Sankalp Mela brings all these together on a single platform, creating a clear and connected ecosystem that helps persons with disabilities and their families understand their options, make informed choices and plan their futures with agency.”
The impact of Sankalp Mela was reflected in several on ground interactions at the event, which illustrated the importance of timely access to information and guidance. A mother of a Deaf child engaged with skilling organisations to understand education, training and employment pathways that could enable greater independence for her child. In another instance, a parent who walked into the Mela without prior awareness learned about the available services, returned home, and brought her son with a severe physical disability to engage directly with multiple stakeholders. Participation was further strengthened through dedicated helpdesks set up at key railway stations and bus stops, which guided persons with disabilities and their families travelling from across Telangana and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh to the venue. Together, these efforts underscored how accessible and well coordinated platforms like Sankalp Mela help families navigate the disability ecosystem and make informed decisions across education, skilling and employment.
Sankalp Mela 2026 marks a significant milestone in EnAble India’s ongoing nationwide efforts to build inclusive ecosystems for persons with disabilities. The event brought together 1,010 persons with disabilities and featured 40 dedicated stalls offering access to skilling opportunities, employment pathways, assistive technologies, and support services. Through these interventions, the Mela demonstrated tangible progress in strengthening last mile linkages and building coordinated support systems for the disability community in Telangana.
Building on this momentum, Sankalp Mela is part of a broader national outreach initiative by EnAble India, the most recent edition, Jagruthi Mela, was held in Lucknow, while a similar model was implemented in Shillong, Meghalaya, through Hat Jingkyrsiew. Together, these initiatives reinforce the scalability of an integrated approach to disability inclusion across diverse regional contexts.
The growing footprint of Sankalp Mela reflects a national shift towards building integrated and coordinated inclusion frameworks that enable persons with disabilities, along with their families and wider support networks, to become informed, aware and empowered to make meaningful decisions and build long term aspirations across education, employment and community life. By linking policy, services and lived experience, Sankalp Mela is emerging as a scalable model for disability inclusion across India.
