New Delhi:
While most people tend to focus on only a handful of talents or pastimes, specially‑abled artist Apoorv Om keeps proving that limits exist only where we put them. On Constitution Day, the hearing‑and‑speech‑impaired creator presented one of his own paintings to Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, underscoring that a disability cannot curb talent, zeal or capacity.
Apoorv’s work has already been showcased at the International Court of Justice, UNESCO, and numerous other venues worldwide.
Speaking to LatestNewsX, his father, Vikas Chandra, explained, “His name is Apoorv Om. He has been unable to speak or hear since birth, yet he secured All India Rank 77 in IIT‑JEE. He was officially invited to the International Court of Justice in 2016, the UN Headquarters in New York, and exhibitions in Paris, where he also met the UN President. He received the National Youth Award in 2017 and the National Award as a Role Model of India from the President. He faced challenges, understood them, and overcame them in his own unique way.”
He added, “He is the first deaf person to receive the National Youth Award in 2019. His journey is self‑made. He did not follow anyone — he followed his ability, not his disability.”
Recalling his meeting with the CJI, Chandra said, “CJI asked what Apoorv wants. I told him he wishes to create and present artwork of all 34 sitting judges and communicate his message — that India must set an international example by empowering people with disabilities.”
Apoorv wants to demonstrate that people with disabilities are neither limited nor incapable; they can be resilient and resourceful. He hopes his art will open doors for more hearing‑and‑speech‑impaired individuals to join the legal profession and become advocates. He also conducts training for the Delhi Police, defence personnel, CISF, and the Indian Coast Guard.
India safeguards the rights of specially‑abled citizens through the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPwD Act), which replaced the previous 1995 legislation. This Act aligns with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, aiming to eliminate discrimination, guarantee equal opportunities in education and employment, and encourage full societal participation. Other important statutes include the National Trust Act, 1999, for specific disabilities, and the Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1992.
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