In Pictures - 10 facts you probably didn't know about disability in India

Sunday December 03, 2017 , 3 min Read

Over a billion people – making up nearly 15 percent of the world’s population – are disabled. The focus on bringing the disabled population into the mainstream is an important developmental indicator of any country, but India has been late in joining the global movement to make the world - both physical and digital - more inclusive.

Disability was not included at all in the National Censuses from 1941 to 1971. The first data on three types of disability (totally blind, totally crippled, and totally dumb) was collected in 1981. According to the 2011 Census, which collates information on eight types of disability, India’s differently-abled population stands at 2.68 crore. The World Bank's estimates peg this number to be higher.

From battling social stigma to a general lack of awareness and sensitivity among people, every day is a challenge for a person with a disability in India.

In order to build greater dialogue around inclusion and accessibility, and celebrate the change-makers who have battled all odds to bring greater meaning to the lives of persons with disability, SocialStory is running a campaign on making #IndiaInclusive.

To educate and sensitise our readers, we have listed a series of lesser-known facts about disability in India.

Prasanth Kamath - battled cerebral palsy to become a celebrated app developer

Vaani Foundation - bringing the power of language to hearing-impaired children

Enable Makeathon - tech for inclusion

How Bollywood films insult people with disabilities

How companies are championing the cause of people with disabilities

Bollywood films that depicted disability with sensitivity

The Kahani Project - a storyteller’s initiative towards inclusion

Lesser known heroes who battled disability to achieve their dreams

To take the discussion ahead, SocialStory is organising a panel discussion on inclusion and accessibility, inviting corporate leaders, activists, and other stakeholders to come forward and share their thoughts on how India can become more inclusive in the times to come.

We look forward to your participation in the discussion, on December 8 at YourStory office, from 3 pm to 5 pm.