Dr. Shruti More Bhardwaj, Founder and Executive Director of Samphia Foundation, has been conferred with the prestigious “National Award 2025” by the President of India on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, marking a moment of pride for Himachal Pradesh and the disability rights movement in the country. Selected in the category of “Best Rehabilitation Professional Working in the Field of Disability,” Dr. Bhardwaj was honored for her decade-long transformative work addressing developmental disabilities in children across the mountainous terrain of Himachal Pradesh.
An Occupational Therapist who moved from Mumbai to Kullu to fill the gap in child rehabilitation services, she has led pioneering initiatives such as the Aash Child Development Center for early intervention and therapy, the mobile “Therapy on Wheels” service for remote regions, and technical support at the District Early Intervention Center under the RBSK program at Regional Hospital Kullu. Expressing gratitude, she dedicated the award to her parents and to the parents of special children whose resilience inspires her work, acknowledging support from AD Hydro Power Ltd., IREDA New Delhi, NHPC Chamba, and the National Health Mission in building strong public-private partnerships. She reaffirmed Samphia Foundation’s mission to create an inclusive rehabilitation ecosystem where geographical barriers never hinder access to quality services.
Selected from 2,423 applications nationwide, Dr. Bhardwaj received the award at a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan, attended by Union Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar, Secretary Ms. V. Vidyavathi, and numerous dignitaries. President Droupadi Murmu congratulated the awardees, highlighting that every individual has unique gifts and emphasizing the government’s commitment to disability inclusion, noting that society becomes fully developed only when persons with disabilities are equal partners in progress, not merely recipients of compassion.
