Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta Receives Highest Diversity Leadership Award from Asia Pacific HRM Congress
Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta pictured received award with three other people presenting. Courtesy of Sai
By Arielle Dance, Writer at Diversability
“My life serves as a beacon of hope, illustrating that choosing positivity and embracing life's challenges can lead to happiness and peace.” - Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta
Disability Advocate and Happiness Coach, Sai Kaustuv Dsgupta, was honored in September with the Asia Pacific HRM Congress Diversity Leadership Award 2023. This award represents over 100 countries including Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, North Korea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and many other regions around the globe. “Sai Kaustuv’s remarkable journey to this recognition is one of resilience and inspiration. Overcoming more than 50 fractures and enduring countless hardships, he spent six years in depressive confinement. Emerging from this ordeal, Sai has become a beacon of hope for millions.”
At the age of three, Sai was diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, a genetic disorder that impacts the body's collagen. Because of this disease, and another rare condition called Bruck Syndrome, Sai has experienced over four dozen bone fractures. These conditions have resulted in him spending his life in a wheelchair. He has always craved independence since childhood. “I wanted to be independent, not out of pride or arrogance, rather because I was curious and confident.” He thanks his family for allowing him to experience life without bounds. He believes they did everything possible for him and never made him feel like a burden.
After spending years in a depressive state, Sai turned his energy to joy and gratitude. This shift in mindset helped him find his place as a motivational speaker and disability advocate, and his career path as a graphic designer. “I accepted my irreplaceable condition and decided to be a beacon of hope for the differently abled community… I have given hope to endless people who needed that right window to open up, to see their sufferings from a different perspective and helped them relish life.” Sai believes that inner joy is what taught him to limit complaining and focus on gratitude. “If I can transform my adversities into opportunities, through the art of inner joy, you all can!”
It is understandable how Sai became a happiness coach and leader in the disabled community. Through various motivational activities, including happiness coaching and over 1000 engaging webinars, Sai has touched the lives of diverse audiences, from global leaders to doctors, students, and corporate professionals in various companies. His message of acceptance and empowerment through disability inclusion resonates deeply.
Acknowledgement: Sai Kaustuv Dasgupta is a member of the Diversability Leadership Collective. Thank you, Sai, for sharing your journey with us.
About the Author:
Arielle Dance, PhD is a Writer at Diversability who identifies as a black queer woman with disabilities. Arielle is published across multiple online platforms and has a children’s book, Dearest One, that focuses on mindfulness and grief.