To say that Madhavi Latha wears several hats would be inadequate to sum up her accomplishments. A para-athlete who won accolades at national-level swimming championships at the age of 40, she is also a banker and an author, co-founded the wheelchair basketball federation of India, and more recently, is focused on creating opportunities for persons with disabilities to test the waters in the media and entertainment industry. “Persons with disabilities also love the arts and are in dire need of creative outlets. I feel very happy when I sing, write, or act, and it is the same for several others. This is what set me thinking about how I can create inclusive opportunities for the same,” she says.
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This set the ball rolling for YWTC (Yes we too can) Charitable Trust, founded by Ms. Madhavi to partner with the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) to offer basic screen acting courses for persons with disabilities. “Three batches in, and several batches to go, the response has been overwhelming. So many people are enthusiastic, and have been looking for such opportunities to exhibit their talents, and meet like-minded people,” she says.
Offered free of cost, the screen acting courses have so far seen a mix of participants. “One of our participants was a woman with a locomotor disability, who is working with a food delivery service. So many people are interested in delving into a creative field, but opportunities are far too few,” she says. This idea has grown by leaps and bounds, thanks to Ms. Madhavi persevering with her enthusiasm, and the next few months promise to be exciting and enriching. Along with the FTII and supported by Fiserv through its #FiservGivesback programme and United Way Mumbai as the NGO partner, YWTC Charitable Trust has rolled out a host of programmes for those wishing to explore the many facets of media and entertainment.
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“Under the lights, camera, inclusion initiative, we will be offering five courses: a screenplay writing course for persons with locomotor disabilities; a course in dubbing; a course in podcasting for visually impaired persons; smartphone filmmaking for the hearing-impaired; and an acting course with an emphasis on mime for the hearing-impaired,” Ms. Madhavi says.
A platform to tell stories
Pointing out that the entertainment industry has a long way to go in giving opportunities to persons with disabilities, as well as creating an accessible environment for them, Ms. Madhavi says that what drives her to roll out these initiatives is the need to give persons with disabilities the much-needed encouragement and motivation. “It is only when we are given a platform to tell our stories through movies or TV shows, will our perspectives and ideas be heard effectively. We don’t want to stop with training but will be making two short films which will involve some of our course participants and give them a platform to showcase their skills and talents,” she explains.
As a catalyst of change, she continues to emphasise how there is no dearth of talent among persons with disabilities. There are many more grand plans she wants to execute for the community. “One of my biggest dreams is to open a sports and arts academy for persons with disabilities. Even to look for a venue that is accessible and can accommodate us comes with its own challenges. If we have our own space, we can do so much more,” she says.