Day-2 of International Purple Fest 2025 Showcases Inclusion, Innovation, and Creativity in Goa
Educators, corporates, artists, and visitors unite for conferences, experiential zones, and interactive art, showcasing a truly inclusive festival experience.
Panjim, October 10, 2025: Day 2 of the International Purple Fest 2025 in Goa was a vibrant celebration of inclusion, innovation, and creativity, bringing together educators, corporates, artists, and the public to champion accessibility and empowerment. The day opened with the Global Inclusive Teachers Summit in India – From Policy to Practice, where educators and thought leaders explored how inclusive education can be effectively translated from policy into practice. Key discussions focused on the role of teachers in creating inclusive classrooms, bridging communication gaps between parents and schools, promoting neurodiversity awareness, and fostering collaboration among families, educators, and policymakers. Dr Nandita, Director of Sethu, emphasised: “This is a very special platform for all of us to understand the difficulties we face as teachers. Charity begins at home. Mother is the first teacher, and family becomes the first school.” She further highlighted the importance of making parents feel comfortable to openly discuss their child’s needs, adding: “As educators, we can bring our whole body together for the children. We have the power to make a difference.”
Following this, the Disability and the World of Work session focused on how workplaces can evolve to become genuinely inclusive. Discussions included the need for corporates to adopt Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) guidelines in line with government policies, invest in skill development for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), leverage assistive technologies, and showcase inspiring inclusion stories. Technology leaders highlighted AI-driven tools designed to enhance accessibility: converting speech to text for deaf individuals, simplifying language for those with cognitive difficulties, and providing real-time communication solutions. Srinath Nidra, a technical professional, reflected: “If we look at the barriers people face, it starts in health and education sectors, and there is a future to use AI to connect with those barriers.”
The day’s final conference, Purple Pragati – Corporate Seminar, organised by the Office of the State Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Goa, in collaboration with SETHU Centre for Child Development and Family Guidance, driven by Nishtha Vigyan Pvt Ltd and supported by Beyond Labels, aimed to create a ‘Goan Model’ for corporate inclusion. Speakers included Capt. Utpal Datta, who shared his high-functioning autistic son’s journey: “We face struggles every day, and I pledge to place PWDs within Goan corporates through my organisation, Nishtha Vigyan, supported by Beyond Labels.” Dr Nandita underscored the value of neurodiversity in organisations: “We need to believe in the power we have as teachers, educators, and parents to bring our whole body together for children.” Other organisations sharing their Goan inclusion stories included Divya Goankar (EPL), Hemant Jaiswal (IHCL), Dorin Mascarenhas (Marriott St Regis), Sanjay Tatu Kudalkar (Centre for Special Education), Seema and Capt Ramesh (parents of PWDs), Kishore Thangavelu (Microsoft), Rahul Jindal (Google), and Syam Ivaturi (Disha AI). The seminar reinforced that inclusion is both a social and economic imperative, showing practical pathways for corporates to implement meaningful DEI policies.
Complementing the conferences, the Purple Experience Zones offered immersive activities. The Calm Room alone welcomed over 200 visitors seeking reflection, mindfulness, and respite. Purple Street came alive with vibrant food stalls, handicrafts, and live performances, creating an inclusive festival environment that encouraged engagement from people of all abilities.
The Purple Spectrum featured a special appearance by the cast of Sitaare Zameen Par, facilitated by the MLA of Mapusa Constituency, Joshua D’Souza. Gopi Krishnan Varma expressed his joy at the event: “I am really happy to be here. It feels nice to see everyone enjoying and participating.”
The Purple Kaleidoscope redefined accessibility in art, curated by heritage accessibility consultant Siddhant Shah. Visitors were invited to engage with tactile and sensory art installations, including “Sculpt in the Dark,” where sighted participants created clay sculptures while blindfolded, experiencing the world of visually impaired individuals. Shah remarked: “By allowing people to feel the art, we are also asking them to feel what it means to belong. Art becomes accessible to all and pushes the boundaries each year.” The initiative also featured the Access for All Mela, which offered participatory workshops designed to foster empathy and understanding among students, teachers, and festival-goers alike.
Emerging assistive technologies were highlighted throughout the day, demonstrating the potential of AI and other innovations to break barriers for PWDs in both urban and rural communities. Ketan Kothari from DeepVision Tech explained: “We have developed technology so you can communicate with a person with deafness on the phone like anyone else. It’s revolutionary, and it can make the world accessible for everyone.”
Day 2 of Purple Fest 2025 reinforced the festival’s mission to champion inclusion, creativity, and empowerment across Goa and beyond. Through conferences, experiential zones, art installations, and cultural showcases, the event provided a platform for learning, collaboration, and celebration of diversity, leaving participants inspired by the collective vision of a truly inclusive society.
