In often a discouraging and depressing world, the story of two visually challenged Palla sisters Khushboo and Mehvish from South Kashmir qualified their Class 12 exams as a port in the storm reminding us that there is so much to be excited about when taking strength, hope and resilience into consideration.
The momentous achievement of the girls is not only their own, it is a symbolic success that reminds us that if we work diligently enough on whatever we want to achieve, we can transcend our barriers.
With family and teacher support combined with will power they completed their schooling at a high level, and they have become role models demonstrate that ability is not just ability.
The girls success is indicative of the possibility change, where there is an inclusive education challenge that secures learning rights.
Underlying their success is also a story of ongoing and still disappointing realities associated with improper infrastructure, support for special education and, the discriminative and learnt prejudices that still exist for persons with disabilities.
If nothing else, a huge angle of social responsibility needs to happen to re-commit to where we can cultivate environments for everyone, whether they be physically impaired or not, to provide opportunities wherever possible to reach their potential fast.
It is necessary for government, the educational sector and civil society to work collaboratively to ensure that inclusivity is not just a slogan but intention in both letter and spirit so that all of us can access education, employment, and dignity.
The courage and brilliance of the duo deserves admiration. They have not only made your family proud and the community proud but they have given genuine hope to so many other direct souls going through the same experiences.
Their impeccable intervention is a chant that there is nothing that is impossible when you have the right support and determination.
They say that their success is our lesson, that success is not the absence of challenges; it is the resolve to rise up to those challenges.
