1. Childhood and School Life:
Pranay was born with 21 Trizomi Down Syndrome. He fought all odds and overcame as a successful person as an independent & brave person, as an excellent sportsperson, as Self Advocate and above a successful employee. Pranay responded well to sensitization programmes organized by his parents on social and academic skills. He, at the age of five, was put in normal school but shifted to special school at the age of seven as that time adequate facilities needed for special children were not available in the normal school. He was out of school after 18 years of age and put in the school workshop. After three months, he was moved out from the school workshop and put back to school and was given special independent academic coaching for eight months. During this period he cleared level A (Pratham I) and level B (Pratham II) Examination of PRE-National Institute of Open School, New Delhi.
2. Bravery:
Right from the childhood Pranay has been participating in various adventurous activities like river crossing through ropeways, climbing trees, tracking, rock climbing, etc. He braved all odds during the 26 July 2005 deluge in Mumbai, and had to stay overnight on the road with no communication and power. He tried to contact his home and some relatives on phone but could not do as all phone lines were dead. He saved himself from drowning. At that time he was just 17 year old. Next day he waded through waist deep water and reached home safely.
3. Mobility:
Pranay started travelling by himself at the age of 11 when he was in school. As a result many parents were motivated and trained their children to travel from residence to school and back by public transport. For the last 18 years Pranay has been using public transport (B.E.S.T. bus) independently to move around in Mumbai.
4. Excellence in Sports
Right from his childhood Pranay has been participating in various sport events conducted by Special Olympics Organizations. Pranay is a winner of Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal each in various events in Roller Scatting at Special Olympics, National Games, 2002 held at Bangalore. An article on this achievement of Pranay appeared in daily Times of India of 1st April 2003. Besides roller skating, he plays cricket, football, basketball and swimming. Besides, he participated in numbers of sport events organized by government departments, NGOs, Sports Clubs and won medals and prizes.
5. Pranay as Self Advocate:
5.1. Participation in Self Advocacy Programmes as trainee:
Pranay attended following Self Advocacy Training programme organized by Parivaar, National Confederation of Parents Organizations at Nagpur in Oct 2010 and in Mumbai in June 2011.
5.2. Participation in Self Advocacy training Programs as Trainer:
As Self Advocate Pranay imparts training to prospective Self Advocates. He delivers talks on Self Advocacy to parents and prospective Self Advocates in Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur where Chapters of SAFI exist. He participated as TRAINER in Self Advocacy training workshop in Mumbai in April 2016.
5.3. Participation as speaker:
- Pranay was invited by the Scientific Committee of 12th World Down Syndrome Congress 2015 to deliver keynote address and participate in the congress for all four days from 18 to 21 August 2015. Pranay delivered keynote address on “Capacity Building of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities” at World Down Syndrome Congress 2015 on 20th Aug 2015 where over 600 dignitaries from 42 countries were present. He also received World Down Syndrome Day 2014 Award at the congress on 19th Aug 2015. He got this award for advocating for his rights and for his advocacy for inclusion of Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in society and imparting training to other persons with Down Syndrome to do the same.
- ranay participated in group discussion of a group of Self Advocates and represented the group for making the group’s views clear at “Panchayat” a programme for Self Advocates on 18th Aug 2015 at WDSC 2015. During the conference Pranay was interviewed by local TV crew..
- He spoke on Self Advocacy at the National Parents meets held in Nov. 2014 at Ranchi. At the end of the meet he was interviewed by local TV crew. He spoke at National Parents Meet in Navi Mumbai in Dec 2012 and in Aurangabad in Nov. 2010.
- He spoke at Regional Parents Meet held at Ponda, Goa on 17 Jan 2016. (Photograph is enclosed at page no.80).
- Pranay was invited as guest of honour by Downs Syndrome Care Association, Nasik, Maharashtra, an association of doctors at the celebration of World Down Syndrome Day on 20th March 2016 where he was felicitated. Pranay delivered a talk on Self advocacy during inauguration of the programme.
- Pranay presented his view points on “Open Employment for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities” at XV SARC Special Employees National Meet held in March 2010 at National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disability.
- Pranay participated in “Buddy’s Walk” in April 2012 and addressed the gathering at the post walk. As Responsible Citizen:
6. Responsible Citizen:
Pranay as a responsible citizen has exercised his voting rights in 2009, 2014 and 2019 Parliament and Maharashtra State Legislative Assembly Elections and Mumbai Municipal Corporation Election as well.
7. Pranay in Open Employment:
At the age of 19, on 23 April 2007 Pranay joined The Leela Kempinski, a five star hotel in Mumbai. He has worked with Hotel Leela for THIRTEEN YEARS. But due to pandemic the hotel is totally closed and all employees including Pranay were removed from the job. He used to do his job meticulously and with great care with no error. Pranay has shown great skill, meticulousness and great sincerity in his job and proved himself to be a ROLE MADEL for his colleague.
8. In Cultural Activities:
Pranay is an excellent dancer and has been part of Bollywood choreographer Shiamak Daver’s Institute for the Performing Arts (SPIDA). He presented his performance in Summer Funk and Winter Funk organized by SPIDS. Pranay represented Parents of Downs Syndrome Association in a cultural programme named “ZEST” organised by University of Mumbai in Feb 2005 and again in Jan 2006.
9. Proficiency in Computer Operation:
Pranay is computer savvy and operates computer and does data entry, typing, formatting and emailing. He is on face book. He has smart phone and uses it with ease.
10. Proficiency in Banking Operations:
Pranay is proficient in banking operations. He has bank account with facilities of ATM and Net-Banking. He writes and deposits cheques and withdraws money from ATM kiosk independently.
11. Money Handling:
Pranay carries money in his pocket and spends for travelling in bus and taxi and going for outings with his friends and paying his mobile phone bills.
12. In the News:
Numbers of Articles on achievements of Pranay were published in almost all leading daily newspaper in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nasik and Aurangabad and in some magazines as well. Pranay was interviewed by TV crew on various occasions.
CITATION FOR PRANAY BURDE
Pranay, has been in various creative activities like making decorative wall hangings, table mats from natural materials like dried flowers, flower petals and leaves. He also makes greeting cards, Shagun Ganesha gift envelopes and punch craft gift envelopes with different forms of arts and crafts. Pranay has been making these artefacts for the last 12 years and presenting to his friends. Now he chose this art work as his profession since he lost his job due to lock down. Pranay has created over 90 designs with press flower art work and sold about 65 locally as well as online during lock down period itself. He sold over 1000 Shagun Ganesha gift envelopes and punch craft gift envelopes locally as well as on line.
Pranay has received two National awards one as Best Employee in 2014 and another as Role Model in 2017. He has also received one International Award that is World Down Syndrome Day Award 2014.
He has also received Shri. B. C. Shah Memorial Award as an Outstanding Employee for the year 2013-14, “Divyang Gaurav Puraskar 2017” awardedby Arihant Education Foundation, Pune and “Shri Lalji Mehrotra Foundation Award for Excellence” awarded by National Society Equal Opportunity for the Handicapped in 2019.
He passed two levels of examinations of Pre-NIOS, New Delhi.
Pranay is a winner of Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal each in various events in Roller Scatting at Special Olympics, National Games, 2002.
As Self Advocate Pranay imparts training to prospective Self Advocates. He delivers talks on Self Advocacy to parents and prospective Self Advocates.
He displayed exemplary courage when he was trapped in deluge during 26th July 2005 flood in Mumbai and saved himself from drowning when he was just 17 year old.
For the last 21 years he has been using public transport to move around in Mumbai. He set an example for other children to do the same.
Pranay has been part of Bollywood choreographer Shiamak Daver’s Institute for the Performing Arts (SPIDA).
CREATIVE WORK OF PRANAY
Pranay, besides being in open employment for over 13 years, has been in various creative activities for several years like making decorative wall hangings, table mats, greeting cards, shagun ganesha gift envelopes and punch craft gift envelopes with different forms of arts and crafts. Some are described as under:
1. PRESSED FLOWER CRAFT:
This craft consist of drying flowers, flower petals and leaves in a flower press (or any kind of press like book) to flatten and exclude moisture. Flowers, flower petals and leaves are kept pressed for 2 to 4 weeks. Pressing flowers makes them flat.
These pressed flowers, flower petals and leaves are used in a variety of craft projects, like wall hangings, table mats, greeting cards, etc. These are mounted on special paper such as handmade paper, ingress paper to create different kinds of designs. With meticulous attention to detail, each flower petal, leaf and flower is glued onto a precise location of paper. With a creative approach to the use of materials, different kinds of designs are created.
Pranay learned this art craft from his mother Mrs. Prasuna which has been her childhood hobby. Pranay has created over 90 designs with this art work and sold about 65 locally as well as online.
2. SHAGUN GANESHA GIFT ENVELOPES:
Invitation cards of different events are collected then cut to desired size and then decorated with different types of Ganesha in front and plain envelope is glued on back side and folded. He was able to sell over 500 Shagun Ganesha gift envelopes.
3. PUNCH CRAFT GIFT ENVELOPES:
Various designs like different flowers, leaves, star, club, heart, are punched out of colourful papers and these designs are glued on plain colourful envelopes to create various designs on the envelopes.
Each artefact like wall hanging, table mat, greeting card and envelope is different since these are handmade.
Pranay has been making these artefacts for the last 12 years and presenting to his friends. But like blessing in the disguise he made these artefacts in large numbers and sold as the establishment where he was working is closed due to lock down.
