NCPEDP Helen Keller Awards

About Program

The Helen Keller Awards started in 1999 as a result of the findings of a survey conducted of the Top 100 Companies of India by the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP). The results showed that the average percentage of employment of people with disabilities was as follows: in the public sector: 0.54 percent; in the private sector: 0.28 percent; and in the multinationals: 0.05 percent. While the situation has improved to some extent in the past decade and a half, we are still not even close to covering half the percentage of persons with disabilities living in the country.

About NCPEDP

Registered in 1996, the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) is the country’s premier cross disability, not-for-profit organization working as an interface between Government, Industry, International Agencies and the Voluntary Sector towards empowerment of persons with disabilities. Its mandate is simple – to encourage employment of disabled people, increase public awareness on the issue of disability, empower disabled people with knowledge, information and opportunities and ensure easy and convenient access to all public places. NCPEDP works on six core principles, also called the six pillars of the organization, namely

Education
Employment
Accessibility
Legislation/Policy
Awareness/Communication
Youth

NCPEDP – Helen Keller Awards

This year marks the 25th edition of the NCPEDP Helen Keller Awards, an initiative that began in 1999 following a survey conducted by the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) of the Top 100 Companies in India. The survey revealed startling statistics about the employment of people with disabilities: in the public sector, the average employment rate was 0.54%; in the private sector, 0.28%; and in multinationals, only 0.05%..

NCPEDP Helen Keller Awards was to start a discourse on equal opportunities for persons with disabilities in the area of employment at a time when no one was even thinking about it. Organizations and employees with disabilities would become brand ambassadors for the cause of employment of persons with disabilities and take the momentum forward and role models would be identified and celebrated to motivate and encourage others.
Despite strong legislation, equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities in India remains a significant challenge, less than 1% of persons with disabilities are employed during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 periods as per BRSR Data on Disability.

Over the past 24 years, Helen Keller Awards have come to be recognized as the most prestigious Indian benchmark for disability employment in India; and over the years, the NCPEDP Helen Keller Awards have recognized more than 300 exemplary individuals and organizations for creating impact on equal employment opportunities and creating reasonable accommodations. Pioneer awardees include notable companies such as Infosys, State Bank of India, Union Bank of India, Titan, Bharat Petroleum, Dell, Cisco, Mphasis, Vishal Mega Mart, Tata Tea Limited, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, IBM, Tata Motors, Amazon & TVS. These organizations have made significant contributions to promoting inclusivity and supporting individuals with disabilities, in keeping with Helen Keller’s enduring legacy.

To mark the 25th year, two new awards have been introduced: One for media professional advocating & reporting for equal employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, and a Lifetime Achievement Award for individual with or without disability who has significantly contributed to promoting employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Read Concept Note

Categories Of The Awards

CATEGORY A:

ROLE MODEL PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Persons with Disabilities from within the disability sector and outside who have been active as ambassadors of the cause of employment for people with disabilities and are positive role models for others.

Word Form

English Form

Hindi Form

CATEGORY B:

ROLE MODEL SUPPORTER OF INCREASED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Individuals from within the disability sector or outside who have contributed substantially to the cause of promoting employment opportunities for people with disabilities over an extended period.

Word Form

English Form

Hindi Form

CATEGORY C:

ROLE MODEL COMPANIES/
NGOS/INSTITUTIONS

Organisations from the disability sector or outside who have shown their commitment towards promoting equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities

Word Form

English Form

Hindi Form

ROLE MODEL ENTREPRENEURS WITH DISABILITIES

Entrepreneurs with disabilities who have managed to set up businesses and sustain them over a period. The efforts of these individuals have positively impacted not only their lives but also the lives of others involved.

Word Form

English Form

Hindi Form

ROLE MODEL MEDIA
AWARD FOR DISABILITY INCLUSIVE JOURNALISM

This category recognizes media professional who has reported on and advocated for equal employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Word Form

English Form

Hindi Form

NCPEDP HELEN KELLER
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

This award honors individual with or without disability who has made significant societal impacts through his/her work and has actively promoted equal employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Note:This award is not open for nominations. The awardee will be decided by a distinguished jury panel.

Program Goal

The goal of the NCPEDP Helen Keller Awards was to start a discourse on equal opportunities for persons with disabilities in the area of employment at a time when no one was even thinking about it. Organisations and employees with disabilities would become brand ambassadors for the cause of employment of persons with disabilities and take the momentum forward and role models would be identified and celebrated in an attempt to motivate and encourage others.

What We Are Doing

The Awards are given away under the following 6 categories:

Category A: Role Model Persons with Disabilities
Persons with Disabilities from within the disability sector and outside who have been active as ambassadors of the cause of employment for people with disabilities and are positive role models for others.

Category B: Role Model Supporter of Increased Employment Opportunities for
Persons with Disabilities

Individuals from within the disability sector or outside who have contributed substantially to the cause of promoting employment opportunities for people with disabilities over an extended period.

Category C: Role Model Companies/Institutions/ Organizations
Organizations from the disability sector or outside who have shown their commitment towards promoting equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Role Model Entrepreneurs with Disabilities: Entrepreneurs with disabilities who have managed to set up businesses and sustained them over a period of time. The efforts of these individuals have positively impacted not only their lives but also the lives of others involved.

This category was added in 2021 and 3 awards are given under this category, across the country.

Role Model Media Award for Disability Inclusive Journalism: This category recognizes media professional who has reported on and advocated for equalemployment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

1 award will be given in this category nationwide.

NCPEDP HELEN KELLER LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD : This award honors individual with or without disability who has made significant societal
impacts through his/her work and has actively promoted equal employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

1 Lifetime Achievement Award will be given in this category.

Note: This award is not open for nominations, as it is selected by a distinguished panel of judges.

Our Impact

Over the past 25 years, these Awards have come to be recognised as the most prestigious Indian benchmark for honouring people and organisations which have been working towards promoting employment opportunities for person with disabilities.