Mumbai: Xavier Resource Center for the Visually Impaired (XRCVC), part of St Xavier’s College, has been honored with the National Award 2024 for Inclusive Education, presented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.

Recognized under the Divyang Sashaktikaran Hetu Sarveshrestha Sansthan (Best Institution for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities) category, this award celebrates XRCVC’s contributions to inclusive education for students with disabilities and its pan-disability outreach over the past two decades.

XRCVC was founded in 2003 as an assistive technology (AT) center for visually impaired students. Today it has evolved into a nationwide organization addressing the needs of students with various disabilities.

“This award recognizes our efforts in the field of inclusive education over the last two decades,” said Rajendra Shinde, principal of St Xavier’s College, while praising Professor Sam Taraporevala, executive director of XRCVC, for his leadership. He added, “The 360-degree model of inclusive education that we have implemented is designed to be scalable and replicable, impacting education systems in India.”

The award ceremony, scheduled to take place on December 3, coincides with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Ketan Kothari, Management Consultant at XRCVC said, “We are committed to equality and equity for all disabilities. With this award, our mission to expand the scope of our work only strengthens.”

XRCVC’s work encompasses a wide range of services and initiatives to make education and everyday life accessible to people with disabilities. In addition to educational services, XRCVC has developed several resources and publications to guide educators and policy makers.

Taraporevala and Kothari have been active members of expert committees shaping national policies that promote accessibility, such as their work with the Braille Council of India and the Ministry of Education on creating e-content for children with disabilities. They have also partnered with leading educational institutions including IIT Delhi, IIT Madras to replicate their model of inclusive education.