International Day Of Persons With Disabilities

To commemorate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPwD), Taj Cidade de Goa - Heritage hosted a deeply insightful panel discussion that united educators, technologists, accessibility advocates, and IHCL Goa leadership. Anchored in the strength of IHCL's ABLE Framework, the conversation focused on creating a transformative, inclusive pipeline that connects early education, emotional well-being, and AI-enabled skilling to dignified employment for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).  

Educators emphasised that the path to inclusion begins early. Ms. Neetal Amonkar, Member Secretary of Sanjay Centre for Special Education, delivered a powerful keynote on the "Classroom to Career" journey. She highlighted the importance of strengthening foundational learning, building real-world exposure, and ensuring that every student is prepared, confident, and supported as they transition into professional pathways.

Dr. Aanchal Gupta, Assistant Professor and Member of the Centre for Social Sensitivity & Action (CSSA), Goa Institute of Management, expanded on the academic lens of inclusion, emphasising how curriculum frameworks, sensitivity training, and industry-academia partnerships are essential for building a sustainable and scalable Skill Lens ecosystem for Goa.

From the hospitality industry, Mr. Hemant Jaiswal, Area Director - Human Resources, IHCL Goa, highlighted IHCL's commitment to co-creating vocational modules with schools, supported by guided internships, visual learning aids, and accessible workspaces. He reiterated that IHCL's Goa pilot project mapping 45 PwD profiles to 11 viable job roles offers compelling validation of the ABLE Framework as both socially meaningful and operationally effective.  

Technologist Syam Ivaturi of Disha AI demonstrated how adaptive, inclusive AI tools not only support diverse learning styles, simplify task training, and enhance digital accessibility across hospitality workflows, but also expertly leverage AI-driven methods for precise skill identification and mapping. This enables organizations to connect individual capabilities with specific job roles, ensuring a highly personalized and efficient approach to inclusion and workforce development.

 "Our greatest strength lies in our people, and our ABLE network is a reflection of our belief that every individual brings unique talent and value. At IHCL Goa, inclusion is not an initiative; it is the way we choose to shape the future of hospitality."

Ranjit Phillipose, Sr. Vice President - Operations, IHCL Goa,

The day concluded with a shared pledge to strengthen the "Skill Lens Solution," ensuring that every young person with a disability in Goa can envision and achieve a fulfilling and empowered career.