'Society should empathise with the disabled'

City-based Shivani Gupta is a well-known access consultant. She has a double degree in hotel management and architecture and a post-graduate degree in inclusive environment. She has written several books on accessibility which are resource manuals for practising architects and designers. Gupta highlighted the need for people to change their attitude towards the physically and mentally challenged. She tells DNA about the problems faced by the disabled and sheds light on her firm AccessAbility.

How did you become an accessibility consultant?
After graduating in hotel management, I started working at a five-star hotel in Delhi. Ten months later, I met with a car accident that left me disabled. All my dreams shattered and it took me years to come to terms with my disability and adjust to a society that is designed only for non-disabled people. I groped in the dark for years trying to find my passion. I painted and held several exhibitions. I worked as a peer counsellor at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre. My perspective changed after I attended a United Nations workshop on ‘Training of trainers in promotion of barrier free environment for the disabled and the elderly’ in Bangkok in 2000.

On my return, I found there was still a dearth of knowledgeable people working in this field. I took it on to myself to specialise and be an expert on this subject. At 32, I became a full-time student of architecture technology. After completing the course, I went to the UK for a post-graduation in inclusive environment. Later, I founded AccessAbility, a firm specialising in creating inclusive
environment and thereby assisting companies to include disabled
people as employees.

What are the functions of an accessibility consultant? How much support do you get from the Union and state governments?
 As an access consultant, my job is to adapt the environment into spaces that are more comfortable for use. I assist builders to adapt their existing building or new buildings to be user-friendly. AccessAbility is a consultant to various private companies and government organisations. We are invited to be a part of government committees and industry forums to represent and bring forth issues of inclusion of disabled persons.

What are the problems faced by the disabled in India?
The problems of the disabled throughout our country are similar. The attitude of society and the government towards the disabled is of charity instead of inclusion. The Indian Railways finds it easier to give concessions to disabled travellers rather than making the stations and trains accessible for them. They have made one special and separate handicap coach but that too is of no use as the disabled passenger needs to be lifted into the supposedly accessible coach. Our schools and colleges are behind in terms of inclusion and accessibility. Even today, it is not possible for a disabled child to get education of his choice. There are just a handful of schools and colleges ready to admit them and have infrastructure that supports their education. Our society and the government need to look at disability issues as developmental issues.

A new law for disabled is on the anvil. Will it be of any significance?
I don’t really know by when the new law will come and what will it finally give the disabled people. All the disabled people are hopeful and  believe that the new law will be in line with the United Nations Convention for Rights of Disabled People (UNCRDP). If it is as per the UNCRDP, then the charitable approach towards disability will go.

The law is the first step towards bring about a positive long-term change. Sensitisation programmes giving the right messages at school and college level and at work place are important. They will teach the receiver not to sympathise but empathise with a disabled person. Society has to start considering disabled people as a part of ‘us’ rather than ‘them’.