CHENNAI: CavinKare, in partnership with Ability Foundation, organised the 24th CavinKare Ability Awards 2026, honouring five achievers with disabilities from across the country for excellence and social impact.

Deepika TC, captain of the World Cup-winning blind women’s cricket team, and Thanya Nathan, set to become Kerala’s first blind judge, felicitated the awardees.

The CavinKare Ability Special Recognition Award was presented to Sunil Jain of Bengaluru, founder of ASTHA, for his sustained work in expanding access to education, careers, civic participation, sports and the arts for persons with disabilities.

The CavinKare Ability Award for Eminence was presented to Dr Jitender Aggarwal of Gurugram, founder of Sarthak Educational Trust. He lost his vision due to macular degeneration and leads the trust, which works to expand access to education, skills and employment for persons with disabilities across India.

The CavinKare Ability Mastery Awards went to Arivuraja Thangavelu of Kattumannar Koll in Tamil Nadu, an entrepreneur creating work opportunities for those excluded from formal employment; Shiv Kumar Sharma of Punjab, a State Legal Services consultant and actor who runs legal awareness programmes for persons with disabilities; and Chandra Moull Dwarapureddy of Andhra Pradesh, who overcame severe injuries from an electrical accident, completed a law degree, studied at IIM Ahmedabad and now works at Accenture while engaging in disability inclusion efforts.

Jayshree Raveendran, founder of Ability Foundation, said the awards over the past 24 years had showcased the potential of persons with disabilities and honoured those who break barriers and inspire change.

CK Ranganathan, Chairman and Managing Director of CavinKare Pvt Ltd, said the journeys of the awardees went beyond personal achievement to create a ripple effect that drives social change and strengthens conversations around inclusion.