The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Tough call, says an overwhelmed jury

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 21, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Tough call, says an overwhelmed jury

Staff Reporter

200 nominations were filed for the Cavinkare Ability Awards

EXCHANGING GREETINGS: Jaya Bachchan greets Bapin Bhattacharya, at the Cavinkare Ability Awards press conference on Friday. Left, filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor and former Chief Justice of India J.S. Varma look on. — Photo: R. Ragu

CHENNAI: The Cavinkare Ability Awards jury were introduced to the media on Friday.

Among the members of the jury were former Chief Justice of India J.S. Varma, film personalities Jaya Bachchan and Nagesh Kukunoor, Chairperson of the Guild of Service Mohini Giri, and Bapin Battacharya, a seeing/hearing impaired creator of software for the blind, from New York.

The Cavinkare Ability Awards comprise an Award of Eminence (given to a person who has reached out to others) and two Mastery Awards (for people who have surpassed their disabilities to attain excellence in their chosen fields).

Mr. Kukunoor, whose latest film, Iqbal, was about the triumph of a hearing impaired boy, said that he delved a little into the world he didn't know through the film. "I am thankful for what I have and in awe of the human spirit. I am humbled, learning about these people."

Mr. Varma said that after looking at the entries he realised that the candidates, despite their disabilities, are more able than him in what they do.

Ms. Bachchan said, " I wish I had the positivity and spirit of these people. I feel completely unable to judge them."

This is the fourth year of the awards. The chairperson of Ability Foundation, Jayshree Ravindran, said they received 200 nominations from 21 States. Of these, 13 entries were shortlisted. The results will be announced later.

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