CHENNAI: When Firefox Bikes, a brand of imported cycles in India, decided to remodel itself as a brand that brings adventure to everyone, it came up with #EverydayAbility. The event is modelled on inclusion, and will witness persons with disability participating with bikers in rock-climbing and scuba diving at Waves Swim Academy, Pallavaram, on Feb 17.
Persons with disability from Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation (ABBF), who have been active in adventure sports like wrappling, para-gliding, and rock climbing will participate. Speaking to us about this initiative, Rana Pahwa, head of marketing at Firefox Bikes, said, “Our re-branding objective is to include ‘adventure’ in everyone’s vocabulary. We want to break the myth that persons with disability can’t be in sports. They’re the largest minority in India, and inclusion must start with them.”
This is the sixth edition of the event. Since August 2017, the previous editions in Pune, Mumbai, Gurgaon, Bangalore and Hyderabad, saw wrappling, rock climbing, and para-motoring activities for persons with disabilities. “For this edition, we have partnered with ABBF, who professionally train persons with disability in adventure sports. Divyanshu Ganatra who heads ABBF is visually impaired and is into para-gliding himself,” says Rana.
This edition will host 35 persons with disability and 40 Firefox bikers, apart from on the spot registrations. A brief will be given to all participants three hours before the event. Rana says, “If able-bodied persons like you and I can come and not just talk, but play a sport with persons with disability, only then we’ve achieved something.”
In an attempt to take this initiative of inclusion a step further, Firefox is planning to employ persons with disability across the country. Rana says, “We will start looking at profiles by next quarter. We will start by employing them as store managers in Chennai.”