The 31st Divya Kala Mela opened at Ravindra Sadan, Kolkata on 14 July 2026 and runs until 22 July 2026.
Divya Kala Mela: purpose and origin
- Concept: Launched in December 2022 as a national platform for products made by persons with disabilities (“Divyang entrepreneurs”).
- Function: Exhibition and market for registered participants to display and sell handicrafts, artwork and other products.
Organisation and participation
- Joint hosting: This edition is the first jointly organised by the Central government and the West Bengal government.
- Scale: Around 40 stalls at Ravindra Sadan with a large share of participants from West Bengal.
- Previous editions: Held earlier in Srinagar, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, Ahmedabad and Patna.
Legal and institutional linkages
- Terminology: “Divyang” is the official term used in India for persons with disabilities in welfare contexts.
- Nodal ministry: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is the principal ministry for disability policies; Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) functions under it.
- Statute: Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 recognises 21 categories of disabilities and mandates accessibility and equal opportunity measures.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- ADIP Scheme: Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances provides assistive devices through DEPwD.
- DDRS: Deendayal Disabled Rehabilitation Scheme funds NGOs and centres for rehabilitation services.
- Venue fact: Ravindra Sadan is a major cultural complex in Kolkata, West Bengal.