Workshop On “Legal Rights And Empowerment Of Persons With Disabilities” By Mission Accessibility

The workshop is organised by the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Goa, in collaboration with the Goa State Legal Services Authority, the Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, and the Goa High Court Bar Association. The event is curated by Mission Accessibility

Date: 11th October 2025

Venue: High Court of Bombay at Goa, Panaji

Time: 2.00 PM

Session Details

2:00 PM – 2:05 PM

Welcome & Opening Remarks

By Shri Guruprasad Pawaskar, State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Govt. of Goa

2:05 PM – 2:10 PM

Introductory Remarks

Introduction to Mission Accessibility and workshop objectives By Adv. Rahul Bajaj

2:10 PM – 2:20 PM

Address by Justice Valmiki Menezes, Bombay High Court at Goa

2:20 PM – 2:30 PM

Address by S. Govindraj, Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Govt. of India

2:30 PM – 3:00 PM

Keynote Address By Justice Abhay S. Oka

Theme: Promoting Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities: A Roadmap for the Next Decade

3:00 PM – 3:15 PM

Q&A with the Chief Guest

Moderated audience interaction with the speaker

Moderator: Adv. Rahul Bajaj

03:15 – 03:25 PM

Mission Accessibility Annual Awards 2025 Awards in 2 categories:

1. Most Accessible Private Sector Institution, (to The Print- for leading coverage on Disability rights Legal Development.

2. Budding Disability Rights Champion (to Mr Yatin Panchal)

Mr. Turab Chimthanawala and Ms. Sarah to give away the awards and announce the winners.

03:25 PM – 04:05 PM

Panel Discussion: Sr Adv. SK Rungta, Adv. Kanchan Pamnani and Mr Praveen Prakash Ambastha, Dy. Chief Commissioner GOI, Advocate Amar Jain to moderate.

04:05 – 04:10 PM

Practicing Law as a Lawyer with a disability in 2025: a young female lawyer to share her experience

4:10 to 4:40 pm

Moving beyond law and litigation: creating a culture of disability rights in the country

1. A presentation on an ongoing project between Mission Accessibility and the office of the CCPD on the integration of disability rights into mainstream academic curricula; and
2. A talk on recommended policy reforms to make electronic media more disabled friendly

Ayushmita Samal and Tanvi Mohandas

4:40 to 4:50 PM

Closing Remarks & Vote of Thanks by Registrar, Bombay High Court at Goa