Nagaland Governor La Ganesan and Nagaland State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Diethono Nakhro with magician Gopinath Muthukad at NEISSR on November 2.
Dimapur, November 2 (MExN): A range of tricks by internationally-acclaimed magician Gopinath Muthukad impressed Nagaland Governor La Ganesan, who lauded the magician’s cross-country ‘Inclusive India’ programme as an intense campaign towards integrating the differently-abled with society.
“We must take cue from Muthukad’s efforts towards making differently-abled people feel part of the national mainstream,” the Governor said at the show held in the city as part of the illusionist’s mission of ‘Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities’ that began from Kanyakumari down the country a month ago. The magic show was held at the North East Institute of Social Sciences and Research (NEISSER) on November 2.
An update received here stated that describing the differently-abled people as “gods”, he said the places they occupy naturally turn into temples.
Noting that Muthukad’s ‘Watch Your Watch’ show gives detailed guidelines about the social responsibilities one must adhere to while interacting with the differently-abled, Ganesan said Muthukad’s show reinforces the essence of those ideals. “The magician’s motives merit high appreciation,” he said, inviting Muthukad and his team to Raj Bhavan.
Nagaland State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Diethono Nakhro delivered the keynote address at the function, where differently-abled people from the state came up with a stage show. NEISSER Principal CP Anto welcomed the gathering, while the state’s Kerala Samajam President VA Jose proposed thanks.
Highlighting his motto of magic as an art for social reformation, Muthukad spoke of “an imperative need for us” to make people with physical disability feel they are part of the mainstream. “If we do so, the results will be miraculous. My magic bridges such vulnerable groups with society at large.”To Muthukad, those with physical disabilities suffer in three ways: physical limitations, social exclusivity and emotional insufficiency.
Sixty-year old Muthukad, a recipient of the coveted Merlin Award (2016) considered as Oscar in magic, heads an NGO named Different Art Centre (DAC) which is steering the mission that enjoys non-financial support from the Union Government’s Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
The magician’s trip, which began from Kanyakumari on October 6 (World Cerebral Palsy Day), has stopovers along the central plains, the hilly east, Gujarat in the west and Jammu & Kashmir up north before culminating in the national capitalon December 3 (International Day for Persons with Disabilities).
Across its journey, the campaign has been circulating innovative awareness-generation videos. Each event is being organised in collaboration with the DEPwD’s regional institute or centre.
Muthukad has the credit of launching the trailblazing ‘Magic Planet’. Based in Thiruvananthapuram, it is the world’s first such theme park that protects public-oriented artforms and street performers.
The December 3 culmination event in New Delhi will see the participation of ministers and other parliamentarians besides top government officials.
This is Muthukad’s fifth such all-India venture using magic to spread social messages.
