Rajiv Gandhi Foundation distribute motor-vehicles to disabled

NEW DELHI: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Vadra today handed over the keys of especially designed motorised vehicles to 52 physically challenged people here under the 'Access to Opportunities' programme of Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.

This programme is conducted every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Rahul and Priyanka, who are the Trustee and Executive Trustee of the foundation interacted with the awardees while handing over the vehicle keys.

The participants asked to click pictures with the Gandhi siblings and some of them also clicked selfies. The Congress vice president also advised the awardees to "drive slow".

Some awardees also brought souvenirs from their native places which was warmly received by the trustees.

This year the Foundation will be distributing 150 vehicles across different parts of the country.

For the Delhi distribution ceremony, 52 selected recipients from Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal were given the vehicles at Jawahar Bhawan here.

"Through a rigorous selection process, the focus was to identify those individuals whose physical disability was limiting their access to opportunities and hampering the realisation of their potential.

"Education being the main focus of the Foundation, preferences were given to student applicants to help them access more opportunities in education and livelihood," said a release issued by the Foundation.

The program began with an inspirational song sung by children from 'Wonderoom', one of the initiatives of the Foundation.

Later, two of the youth awardees from the previous year, shared their experiences of how they benefited by the vehicle specially designed for them. They also highlighted the idea of self dependence and freedom in mobility.

After the award ceremony, the awardees were provided training by professionals on the usage of the vehicle, safety rules and regulations.