Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud inaugurated the ‘Mitti Cafe’ in the Supreme Court’s complex on Friday. This cafe, exclusively managed by a non-governmental organization (NGO), is staffed entirely by individuals with diverse abilities. The NGO, known as ‘Mitti,’ is committed to facilitating economic independence and preserving the dignity of adults with physical, intellectual, and psychiatric disabilities, as well as those from vulnerable communities.
Before the commencement of the inauguration, the Chief Justice of India called upon members of the Supreme Court Bar Association to rally behind the cause. Furthermore, in the presence of fellow judges, he announced the inauguration at the start of the day’s proceedings, as per a report from PTI.
“I hope the bar will support the initiative,” the CJI said.
Attorney General R Venkataramani said it is a “symbol of great compassion”.
The CJI mentioned that ‘Mitti Cafe’ has opened 38 outlets in different parts of the country and has served six million meals during the Covid-19 pandemic. In acknowledgment of this achievement, Advocate Priya Hingorani, who played a pivotal role in the process of opening Mitti Cafe in the Supreme Court, expressed gratitude to CJI Chandrachud for his unwavering support.
The NGO, established in 2017, has actively fostered job opportunities for individuals with diverse abilities over the years. Guided by an all-women’s leadership, CEO-founder Alina Alam heads the organization’s efforts.
Ayesha Alam, the director of Mitti Cafe, said “Mitti Cafe provides job opportunities to people with special needs and around 500 disabled people are directly associated with the cafe, with an additional 1200 disabled individuals being indirectly associated.”
During the event, the National Anthem was performed in sign language by children with diverse abilities.