ONGOING ACTIVITIES & FUTURE PLANS

Preparatory work is underway at the Society for disability and Rehabilitation Studies to hold a series of national, international seminars, symposia, conferences and workshops and events in various parts of the country as part of our national awareness campaign and among such programmes include, National Congress on "Entrepreneurship and Skill Development of Persons with Disabilities in India" at University of Mumbai, Mumbai (Maharashtra), National Conclave on "Road Safety and Traffic Management of Disabled Pedestrians in India" at ISIC, New Delhi, National Symposium on "Participation in Political and Public Life by Persons with Disabilities in India", Patna (Bihar) and National Workshop on "Disability, Genetics and Genome Medicine in the Era of Globalisation" at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (Karnataka). Furthermore, the SDRS is also being commissioned by ICAR/ Govt. of India to conduct a ten-day "Orientation Training Programme in Disability Management in Agriculture and Farming" at Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh).

The process is also continuing under the auspices of the organization to carry out a series of publications, including "The Teaching of Disability Studies in Indian Universities and Academic Institutions: A Study of Trends and Issues" (Original Study), "Contemporary Issues in Disability Studies in India" (Edited Volume), "Disability, Sexuality and Human Rights" (Edited Volume), "Disability in Rural India: Issues and Challenges" (Edited Volume), "Disability, Human Rights and Social Justice" (Edited Volume), "Employment Rights of Disabled Women in India" (Original Study), "Disability, Barrier- Free Campus and Higher Education" (Edited Volume), "Disability Management in Agriculture and Farming" (Edited Volume), "Curriculum Development in Disability Studies in North and South" (Original Study) and "Vikalangata Adhyayan ke Naye Ayam" (Edited Volume in Hindi)

Insofar as long- term plan is concerned, the Society for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies has been working to start an Institute for Disability Studies and Rehabilitation Management initially under its auspices for taking up plethora of activities?such as, Academic and Research, Health and Rehabilitation Services, Resource Centre, Research and Extension Activities and Disability Foundation. Among other such activities proposed to be undertaken by the organization in future include start vocational training programmes for persons with disabilities in rural areas in different parts of the country and launching special scholarship/ fellowship for encouraging the students with disabilities to prosecute further studies and research on issues of contemporary significance for empowering the persons with disabilities.