The third edition of the International Purple Fest—Purple Fair 2025—was inaugurated in Goa on Friday, reaffirming India’s commitment to creating a more inclusive and accessible society. The festival celebrates the talent, entrepreneurship, and resilience of persons with disabilities and aims to foster a paradigm shift in societal perceptions.
Goa Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant, who inaugurated the festival, said the event had become a symbol of empowerment and inclusion. “The Purple Fest reflects inclusive thinking and the belief that persons with disabilities are not to be pitied, but celebrated for their immense potential,” he said.
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar highlighted the changing narrative around disability in India. “Persons with disabilities are no longer viewed merely as beneficiaries; they are professionals, entrepreneurs, and active contributors to the nation’s progress,” he said.
Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale praised the initiative, noting the government’s commitment to the welfare of all communities under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. “This festival embodies the spirit of inclusion and opportunity,” he said.
State Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Dessai described inclusion as a fundamental principle of governance, not charity. “Events like Purple Fest make inclusion visible, joyful, and meaningful,” he remarked.
Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Rajesh Aggarwal, provided insights into the department’s recent efforts, stating that over 50,000 complaints had been resolved by State Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities (SCPDs) in recent years. He also mentioned CSR interventions worth ₹50 crore and mobile courts that addressed hundreds of petitions as examples of evolving outreach initiatives.
Goa’s State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Guruprasad Pawaskar called the festival “a unique platform to showcase the creativity, resilience and talent of persons with disabilities.”
Dignitaries present at the inaugural event included Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Shripad Naik, Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade, Dr. V. Candavelou, Chief Secretary of Goa, and senior officials from the DEPwD and Government of Goa.
The event saw participation from international organizations, NGOs, and disability rights activists, including representatives from NCPEDP, Saksham, Bookshare, DAIG, Rising Flame, and the United Nations in India. Ambassadors and champions of disability rights such as Sadiya Bandodkar, K.Y. Venkatesh, Nidhi Goyal, Jeeja Ghosh, and many others were also in attendance.
Purple Fair 2025 is jointly organized by the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Directorate of Social Welfare, Entertainment Society of Goa, and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, along with key stakeholders.