Kawtha Koi presented ISHMA 2, a celebration of spirit, strength, and solidarity on 27th June 2025 at Gyan Manch Kolkata. ISHMA 2 is a cultural event encompassing the dedicated members of five non-government organisations working tirelessly for the betterment of various social causes, and transforming lives in our society from the grass-root levels.
The five organisations who contributed abundantly to this cause were: Iswar Sankalpa who advocates for the dignity and rights of the homeless with psychosocial disabilities, Iswar Sankalpa leads the charge in urban mental health care, offering inclusive pathways to healing and reintegration. Development Action Society (DAS) works towards empowering marginalized women and children, DAS is transforming underserved communities through education, healthcare, and gender equity initiatives. The Hope Foundation, stands as a beacon of hope for vulnerable children and communities, this organization ensures access to education, healthcare, and protection with a focus on dignity and opportunity. L’Arche Asha Niketan Kolkata champion inclusion and mutual respect, this nurturing community fosters growth among people with and without intellectual disabilities, promoting love and human dignity. And, PRAMA (Progressive Association for Mother & Child). With a threefold mission focusing on women empowerment, environmental sustainability, and revival of dying arts, PRAMA is preserving culture while building a better future.
The chief guest for this event was Mr Sumit Agarwal, icon of the Election commission of India, a business wonder in the LinkedIn Top 50, and a person with special ability. Agarwal was the beacon of hope in the programme about visibility of the special section of the society. While in conversation with The Statesman Agarwal said, “Events like these form the cornerstone of the country, because 70 per cent of disabilities in the country are invisible disabilities and those are not spoken about. Now if you look at the population of the people with disabilities after the RPWD act 2016, it was increased from 5 disabilities to 21. Now the population of disabled people is around 15 per cent of the total population, which is roughly, even if I underplay the numbers, around 15 crores. So you have to have events where environment, sustainability, disability, water conservation, all of these are talked about and intertwined. Everything impacts everything, it is all connected.” He added, “I was somebody who was rejected from 30 schools. My mother was a lawyer, she quit her courtroom job and she said she wanted her son to study in a mainstream school. so she knocked on the doors of those 30 schools before the 31st school finally answered to our cause. That changed my life somehow.”
Talking about today’s youth and the impact of social media Agarwal pointed out, “With the advent of time there is a lot of scope for connectivity. You can easily find your niche, your solace. But social media also brings the instant dopamine rush and that severely hinders empathy. One has to be careful in traversing this without completely discarding the modern age.”
This cultural exchange included opportunities to engage directly with the participating organizations. The event not only celebrated their efforts but also invited the public to be part of the change. This programme time and again reminded the audience that every individual is special and discrimination only causes friction in a society. From little kids dancing to popular songs, performing their hearts out, to playing a difficult guitar riff alone under a spotlight, ISHMA 2 showcased exactly how natural it is to be specially-abled.