'Ask The Disabled About Their Needs'

We caught up with some eminent people working towards this cause at the 17th NCPEDP-Mindtree Helen Keller Awards, which took place in Delhi, yesterday. About 2.21% of India's population has a disability of some kind or the other. Out of this, only a small number is employed. The problem lies in our mentality about employing the disabled. Even after a decade of acts like Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, coming into place, the country lags when it comes to implementation of these laws.

As the startup ecosystem grows at a rapid pace, it is important that they are made aware of the ways they can become disabled-friendly. Experts say that it is easier to bring in change and reforms in a smaller organisation as compared to a bigger organisation. We spoke to Javed Abidi, Director, National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) and the founder of the Disability Rights Group. We also spoke to Pankajam Sridevi, the ‎Managing Director at ANZ, Bengaluru, about making a startup inclusive. They both had some valuable insights to share with us. Watch the video to know what how you can become an inclusive startup and contribute towards making India a disabled-friendly country!

Watch this space for more expert advice on making your organisation inclusive.