True Independence Means Freedom and Access for All: NCPEDP-Mphasis Universal Design Awards Highlight Path to Inclusive Freedom

As India celebrates 77 years of independence, the true essence of freedom is brought into focus – that is ensuring every citizen must have the basic right of accessibility to have a level playing field. Disability experts, entrepreneurs and institutions working on universal designs highlighted this idea at the 15th edition of the NCPEDP-Mphasis Universal Design Awards on Wednesday.

Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, with Arman Ali and other dignitaries

Although the disability sector in India has made significant progress from the PWD Act 1995 to the RPWD Act 2016 in terms of policy and law development, challenges persist in their effective implementation. Despite having a disabled population of over 3 crores, only a miniscule percentage of this population can be seen in the mainstream. One of the core reasons for this is the basic lack of access.

In a landmark celebration on the eve of Independence Day, Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment gave away the prestigious awards to 16 individuals and organizations in the field of universal design and accessibility.

“Over the past 15 years, through these Awards, we have proudly recognized and celebrated the unique contributions of over 250 individuals and institutions dedicated to making the world more inclusive for people with disabilities. These Awards, which predate the Accessible India Campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 3, 2015 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities – are perfectly aligned with his vision. We are deeply grateful to Mphasis, whose unwavering support has made this 15-year legacy possible,” said Arman Ali, Executive Director of NCPEDP.

The awards, presented in three categories – persons with disabilities, working professionals, and organizations – celebrate achievements in accessibility and universal design across sectors such as the built environment, transport, ICT, and assistive technology. In 2018, the NCPEDP-Mphasis Javed Abidi Public Policy Award was introduced in honor of Mr Javed Abidi to recognize outstanding advocacy for accessibility. Past winners of this category include Godrej, Indigo, Cisco, Lemontree, Infosys, Accenture, Wipro, and Microsoft. This year Radhika Alkazi from New Delhi was conferred with this prestigious award. These efforts are critical in securing a life of equality, dignity, and full participation for people with disabilities, aligning with the broader national goal of development for all.

At the awards ceremony winners reiterated the importance of universal design in bridging the gap between challenges and accessibility for all citizens. Reflecting on the 15-year partnership with NCPEDP, Deepa Nagraj, Senior Vice President & Head – ESG, Sparkle Innovation Ecosystem, and Communications, Mphasis, remarked, “Our enduring collaboration with NCPEDP highlights our unwavering commitment to advancing accessibility and inclusive design. These awards represent our shared vision for an inclusive India, and we extend our congratulations to the winners of the NCPEDP-Mphasis Universal Design Awards 2024.”

Shubranshu S. Acharya, Chairman-cum- Managing Director of the National Small Industries Corporation Ltd., emphasized the importance of integrating disabled individuals into the mainstream workforce and praised NCPEDP for its outstanding contributions to promoting accessibility and supporting assistive technology.

“This year’s awardees, representing 11 states from across the country, showcase the widespread impact and progress in universal design and accessibility,” said Ali, adding, “As we celebrate the 15th year of the NCPEDP-Mphasis Universal Design Awards, we are reminded of our incredible journey of innovation, perseverance, and transformative progress. Each year, we are observing an increase in the number of Universal Design Awards applications, reflecting greater diversity across all states of India. The aim is to create designs that are so naturally inclusive that no one feels they are made “especially” for them, removing any sense of privilege, discomfort or difference.”

About NCPEDP

The National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) is a 28-year old cross-disability non-profit organisation dedicated to advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities, promoting their employment, increasing public awareness, and ensuring easy and convenient access to public places, products, services, and technologies. Due to NCPEDP’s consistent advocacy and stakeholder engagement efforts, significant impact is achieved in Employment, Education, Accessibility and advocacy. This award was initiated by visionary leader Late Shri. Javed Abidi, a pioneer in the disability movement.

For more information, visit our website www.ncpedp.org.

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