From World Braille Day to Kisan Diwas... 12 individuals speak about the special days of 2022 while revealing their wish list

From World Braille Day to Kisan Diwas... 12 individuals speak about the special days of 2022 while revealing their wish list

What we left behind are memories. What we are taking forward are moments. FPJ talks to 12 individuals who are looking forward to this year, their wishes, and everything in between worth celebrating

Shillpi A SinghUpdated: Sunday, January 02, 2022, 12:05 PM IST
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World Braille Day | 4 January

Akhilesh Kumar, Assistant Professor, Delhi University

“I am looking forward to 2022 with bated breath because my translation work of renowned Hindi littérateur Namwar Singh’s Doosri Parampara Ki Khoj (In Search of an Alternative Tradition) will be published by Sahitya Akademi. It is my humble tribute to Singh, and this translation aims to highlight the richness of Hindi literary criticism and bring it to the attention of English readers. Doosari Parampara Ki Khoj is also crucial from the perspective of literary criticism in other Indian languages. I am visually impaired, and all through, I must thank Louis Braille for helping many like me in acquiring knowledge. I have been told by many to study disability, but I would not like to limit myself and explore other areas of my interest, including literature.”

International Epilepsy Day | 14 February

Vinay Jani, Entrepreneur and epilepsy advocate

“I ended 2021 on a high by attempting my second 1,000 km Brevet and completing it in 75 hours to create awareness about epilepsy and to motivate other people with epilepsy to believe that 'there are no limits'. I start the year on a high too. I’ll raise 50 million steps for the epilepsy campaign with Samman Association, Mumbai chapter of Indian Epilepsy Association. I’ve already signed up for the Ageas Federal Life Insurance New Delhi Marathon on February 27, 2022, for epilepsy awareness. I wish to make more people aware of epilepsy, a less spoken neurological condition, train myself better this time for Paris-Brest-Paris 2023 and give equal time and attention to family, endurance sports and community service.”

Earth Hour | 26 March

Shraman Jha, Director- Fund Raising, Marketing and Communications, WWF India

“For nearly 15 years, Earth Hour has been a simple way for the wider population to show their care for nature — and the critical need to protect it. For 2022, the emphasis shifts to a more proactive, participative stance with the theme 'Shape our Future'. The spectrum is wide and all-encompassing, from small individual steps towards living sustainably to urging companies and governments to help build a nature-positive and carbon-neutral future. This year, at WWF India, we aim to build partnerships to take the messages well beyond the metro cities and engage with a far wider range of society across the country and their mother tongues and styles of action.”

National Pet Day | 11 April

Sarvmeet Oberoi, Founder, Petfelix Dog Boarding

“The last two years have seen a significant surge in pet adoption, and with that, we have also seen a lot of first-time boarders at Petfelix Dog Boarding. Some of these dogs have increased separation anxiety because they have been with the family. I hope this year brings more normalcy to all our lives so that the dogs are more settled and happy at home or boarding. We will continue to strive to get even better in the coming year so that the boarders can stay safe and the parents stress-free. We will encourage pet parents to do free trial/acclimatisation sessions at the facility. The acclimatisation and gradual build-up to boarding have always been important but more relevant in the present context.”

Mother's Day | 8 May

Jaspreet Chandhok, Partner, Ethereal Designs

“I am a mother-in-waiting because I chose the adoption route to embrace motherhood. We registered ourselves in the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) in August 2020. Our seniority on the waiting list of prospective adoptive parents in Delhi was 1421 in September 2020; currently, we are 1014th, which could mean another 18 to 20 months. My motherhood journey is tangled in delay at the CARA's end. A group of 350 prospective adoptive parents (PAPs) like me have formed ‘Adoption Action Group’ to bring about awareness and request the Ministry of Women and Child to streamline, improve and make the adoption process faster. In 2022, we hope to see Government/Ministry of WCD take swift action on the delays and the uncertainty of referrals, lack of information and transparency, lack of clarity on the new processes or plans adopted during the pandemic. A proactive approach by CARA will give PAPs a child and reduce the risk of illegal adoptions and child trafficking for COVID orphaned children.”

World Bicycle Day | 3 June

Arshel Akhter, Bicycle Mayor of Guwahati

“Apart from being the Bicycle Mayor of Guwahati, I am also a sustainable and active mobility advocate. Our organisations, Pedal for a Change and Green & Active Mobility Forum, have plans to keep cyclists engaged through various rides, races, campaigns and activities in 2022. The state cycling team’s recent performance makes me hopeful that they will do better in 2022 and win more medals at the national level in both road and mountain biking disciplines. I am sure more tourists will opt for cycles to explore the state as this mode is becoming popular, and local service providers are coming out with great plans. I wish the government takes some interest and invests in facilities to make bicycle commuting safer and aspirational in our city.”

World Chocolate Day | 7 July

L Nitin Chordia, Chief Product Officer, Kocoatrait

“As an industry contributor, we at Kocoatrait hope that consumers will better understand the differences between small-batch produced bean to bar and mass-produced chocolates. As a chocolate brand, we expect to become more sustainable and increase our contribution to the circular economy. We wish to play an instrumental role in facilitating, motivating and ensuring that Indian bean bar makers submit their chocolates to the International Chocolate Awards and win international accolades and awards.”

National Sports Day | 29 August

Faisal Ali Dar, Chairman, Ali’s Sports Academy

“I believe in long-term athletic development. As an international martial artist and chairman of Ali’s Sports Academy, this phrase highlights the importance of a gradual and meticulous journey for physical growth and performance gains in speed, strength, and power with youth athletes. As a sports coach, I wish to see more institutional support in initiating young children in sports and keeping their interest and involvement intact until high school or college, which is ample time to be caring for a human. In 2022, I wish to see my career as a sports coach become more rewarding because that’s synonymous with joy for me — guiding, teaching, and inspiring children. I wish to have more exuberant practice sessions and see my students with beaming smiles. I want to see my young athletes blossom into fine sportsperson and see others taking up sports coaching. More coaches will make more success stories.”

International Day of Sign Languages | 23 September

Avinash Dugar, Founder, La Gravitea Cafe

“Having worked with the deaf and orphan community for the last six years, I wish, in the year 2022, schools worldwide erect a sign language wall at their campuses. We have created two such walls in two schools in Jamshedpur. The schools should also consider including a topic on social inclusion for deaf children so that hearing children can learn, communicate with deaf people and create job opportunities for PWDs when they grow up. It is the only way for making social inclusion a reality. I wish that people stop patronising their deaf children with special privileges (freebies, pension, charity) and instead focus on giving them skills of different nature. It will increase their employability in the longer run. It is the only way to empower them in the true sense, as we do at our cafe La Gravitea.”

World Architecture Day | 3 October

Akash Deep, Senior Programme Manager, GRIHA Council

“Our heritage construction has endorsed and implemented sustainable local solutions since the beginning. However, the built environment has seen a significant shift by rampant copying Western solutions without incorporating our local ancestral knowledge. The current climate crisis has pushed everyone to relook at sustainable local solutions. The last decade has seen a significant shift in policies for adopting green building practices in the built environment. However, the adoption and implementation of such policies is still a challenge. It presents an opportunity for all the stakeholders in the built environment by incorporating Indian ethos and local solutions to achieve sustainability in the built environment. We need to implement low-cost workable local, sustainable solutions at the individual level and make this a mass movement. Sustainable is affordable, and affordable can be sustainable, and at GRIHA, our efforts will be aligned in this direction in 2022.”

World Kindness Day | 13 November

Debojyoti Nath, The Busking Man & Founder, Musart Brigade

“As a singer-songwriter, busker, music and arts educator, and storyteller, I want to throw myself into the unknown and the uncharted. I want to grow as a person first, and in turn, it will help me grow as a teacher and musician. One of my biggest wishes for 2022 is to be on-ground physically with students and children. I want to conduct musical and creative workshops all across India as a teacher with my initiative Musart Brigade. I want to do my bit to change and improve the educational system regarding how and what children are taught. As a musician, I want to explore new sounds and styles of music and write music differently from what I usually do. And last but not least, explore and trek new mountains and explore unbridled joys.”

Kisan Diwas | 23 December

Pradeep Gawande, Farmer

“Ours is an agrarian economy. I hope we don’t forget it in 2022. Our farmers feed the nation. I wish that we always remember it. To show our gratefulness, the government in power should ensure that farmers don’t have to stage a protest march, lose their lives and face the consequences for their rightful demands ever again. The farmers should be incentivised for their untiring efforts. The farmers should be compensated for their losses. Their challenges should be addressed. Farmers like me wish the government to respond to our aspirations at par with the urban lot. The mainstream commentators should understand the gravity of food security in its true essence.”

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