On the 17th of February, 2025 Panchkula put itself on the map by conducting the first ever national fashion show for people with visual impairments. Purple Runway of Dreams: A Fashion Feat was produced by Radio Udaan, a einem hoger rango keradio television es estaciona para discapacitados. Its purpose was to showcase the fashion sense of visually challenged individuals, whether male or female.
Women’s Celebration of Self Esteem
The fashion show took its own audacious stride by making garments for the visually challenged. The models wore bold, bright and outrageous clothes while on the stage. This was an opportunity for them to show the world how disabled people can thrive in the same manner as everybody else. According to Danish Mahajan, the founder of Radio Udaan, “This event highlights the fact people with disabilities can be confident and stylish. Fashion is for everyone.”
The winners of the fashion competition were divided into contestants according to their abilities to see. These are the results:
Female Low Vision: Winner – Swati Singla, Runner-up – Aarti Maanmode
Female Totally Blind: Winner – Buddha Lama, Runner-up – Dr. Hitesh Prasad
Male Low Vision: Winner – Megha Gupta, Runner-up – Kratika Sharma
Male Totally Blind: Winner – Devraju G, Runner-up – Maninder Sing
The event was coordinated by Jyoti Malik, who is also partially sighted. She detailed the multifaceted problems they encountered while trying to secure funding, planning everything, and making sure that every single person who took part in the event enjoyed themselves. Due to the commitment from the team and support available through partners, the event turned out to be a great success.
Minal Singhvi, the Radio Udaan director, noted that the purpose of the event was to show that blind people can be as glamorous and confident as anyone else. “We are trying to challenge the assumption that people with disabilities are unable to be fashionable or sociable,” she noted.
This event opened the eyes of many and proved that everyone, regardless of their abilities, has the right to self-expression. The fashion show served as a testament to the fact that people with disabilities can perform and excel in all aspects of life, including fashion.
However, Purple Runway of Dreams is just the first step. In the fashion industry, this slogan pops up: “there is space for everyone” and this event facilitates further movement towards inclusivity. This program was not just about putting clothes of a specific style on people, but about removing obstacles, instilling self-confidence, and ensuring that all are given the opportunities to shine.
