Jamshedpur: Professional models and special children walked the ramp together at a cultural programme organised by Tata Steel Skill Development Society and Urban Services Department in collaboration with various social organisations of Jamshedpur on the eve of International Day of People with Disabilities at the Tribal Culture Centre in Sonari on Saturday.

Organised as part of the Jamshedpur Winter Fest, the aim of the initiative was to promote social inclusion of people with disabilities.

Various events like skit, dance, singing and poetry reading sessions were part of the programme. The highlight of this year's programme was a parents' workshop and a fashion show based on the theme "Breaking Stereotypes of Beauty". This is where professional models held hands with the specially abled ones and walked the ramp.

"It is different unlike the normal fashion shows. It is about realising that the specially abled are very much a part of this society, it is about breaking all barriers," said Yashna Koushal, a professional model who participated in the fashion show.

The event also showcased Garv se Jiyenge, a song composed by playback singer Shankar Mahadevan which is now considered to be the anth-em for people with disabilities.

"The best part was the workshop was where parents shared their motivational stories. We have come across parents who have started learning about mental disabilities when they learn about their children with particular conditions and have designed their training and therapy sessions based on it. They have learnt to acquire the power of acceptance," said Kumar Gaurav, executive of skill development programmes at Tata Steel Rural Development Society.

The event also witnessed contemporary dance performance by the hearing impaired youths from Odisha, and group song by children's of National Association for the Blind and various other performances.

"I am extremely proud of my child today who walked the ramp. He was like any other child. He had that confidence to carry himself and learnt what was taught to him," said Shilpi Gupta, the mother of eight year old Shivam Gupta who suffers from Cerebral palsy and studies in Telco based School of Joy.