Bhubaneswar, Dec 11: As part of the weeklong observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Sabal—an initiative of Tata Steel Foundation (TSF)—in collaboration with the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Government of Odisha, organised a State-level Disability-Inclusive Leadership Training for senior corporate leaders at Toshali Bhawan here, officials said on Thursday.

The programme drew participation from 32 representatives of leading companies including Tech Mahindra, NALCO, Infosys, Reliance Retail, IMFA, SBI, Centurion University and others, signalling a growing corporate commitment to accessible and inclusive workplaces.

Sabal, headquartered in Jajpur district, operates on a block saturation model to empower persons with disabilities. The training sought to deepen corporate understanding of disability rights and workplace inclusion, urging organisations to view inclusion not merely as compliance but as a leadership and business imperative.

Sessions were facilitated by Kumar Gaurav (Disability Lead, TSF), Durgashri Sardeshpande (Assistant Manager, Sabal Jajpur), Santu Das (Manager, Sabal Nuamundi), Akshaya Sahoo (In-charge, Sabal Jajpur), and Pramod Rajak (Manager, TSF Joda). Discussions covered themes such as types of disability, reasonable accommodations, organisational accessibility, equal opportunity policy, and evolving models of disability.

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A poignant segment featured the voices of lived experience. Jharana Mallick, a person with Thalassemia, and Pramodini Roul, an Acid Attack Survivor—both recognised as Purple Ambassadors at the International Purple Fest 2025 in Goa—were felicitated by State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Smt. Bratati Harichandan. Sharing their journeys of resilience, they offered participants an authentic perspective on barriers and enablers, moving beyond clinical terminology and policy frameworks.

Officials noted that such initiatives are vital to building inclusive leadership across industries and to ensuring that persons with disabilities are empowered as equal stakeholders in India’s growth story.