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Ms. Sminu Jindal exhorts Young Indians to work for accessibility at CII- Yi Summit TakePride-2018, Mumbai

10 March 2018, Mumbai

Svayam’s Founder-Chairperson Ms. Sminu Jindal today addressed the CII-Yi: Annual Youth Summit – TakePride 2018, held at the historic Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in Mumbai, along with several visionary speakers fromMs. Sminu Jindal, Founder Svayam addressing CII-Yi: Annual Youth Summit – TakePride 2018, Mumbai across the sectors who spoke during the two-day annual event during 09-10 March 2018. These included Kamal Haasan (actor), Ajeet Khurana (Head – Blockchain & Cryptocurrency Committee of India), Anand Piramal (Founder – Piramal Realty), Arnav Ghosh (CEO – India, Blippar), Ashish Chauhan, (MD & CEO Bombay Stock Exchange), Balki R, (Filmmaker), Boman Irani (actor), Chandrajit Banerjee (Director General CII), Dia Mirza (actor), Dr. R. Mashelkar (renowned Scientist – Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan & Padma Vibhushan Honouree), Gauri Shinde (filmmaker), Krishnakumar T (President – Coca Cola India & Southwest Asia), Lavanya Nalli (Chairperson – Nalli Group), Madhukeshwar Desai (Vice President – Youth Wing Of BJP), Mickey Mehta (Celebrity Fitness Guru & Coach To Femina Miss India Pageant), Radhanath Swami (Spiritual Teacher), Suresh Narayanan (CMD – Nestle India).

The Young Indians (Yi), the annual flagship leadership Summit by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) is known to celebrate the achievements of entrepreneurs, inspire young entrepreneurs, and mull over the future roadmap. TakePride offers a platform to both sung and unsung heroes/champions who share an inspiring story and leave food for thought for the young leaders of CII-Yi eventually both in the interest of the organization as well as their personal- professional trajectory.

Ms. Jindal spoke at length on the subject close to her heart – accessibility. Around 600 Young Indians (Yi) from 40 Chapters across 27 states listened to her address that touched on her early years after car accident, her struggles in the men-dominated steel and gas industry, and her initiative Svayam and its numerous achievements in making India accessible.

Talking about her accident, she said: “I met with a car accident at the age of 11 as my driver was drunk; I became a wheelchair user for the rest of my life due to severe spinal injury. Initially, I could not cope with what had happened with me at that tender age. I was gloomy as I could not dance anymore, though my parents ensured I lived a normal life and got best education. They got ramps and lifts built at home and school and the college. I was born in an affluent family, but then I thought what about others who do not have resources. That is how accessibility became my passion as I wanted to see everyone with reduced mobility to live his/her life in safe, dignified and productive way.”

She told the highly attentive audience that accessibility benefits everyone and not just persons with disabilities. “Think about an elderly, a pregnant woman, and an injured. We have to accept the reality and be ready for it. Think about arthritis and accidents. Also, India’s 65 per cent population is below 35; think about 30 years from now. Will they not need accessible infrastructure and services? We have to be ready now before it hits us,” she said.Ms. Sminu Jindal's address to Young Indians at Bombay Stock Exchange

Ms. Jindal added: “People retire at 60, but thanks to the improved healthcare, we have longer years post retirement. Due to lack of accessible infrastructure, people tend to remain in the golden cages called homes. So, this is not about only 2 per cent population (persons with disabilities). It is a much larger issue. If older adults get accessible homes and public infrastructure, they will, of course, come out and shop, visit places which not only increases their own happiness quotient, but also boosts our GDP. This is how we can make them feel useful, else they may feel redundant. We are all social animals & can’t live in silos.”

She wondered why accessibility is treated as a sub topic under disability. She narrated the infamous Jet Airways incidence of December 2007 when she was asked to sign an indemnity bond. The signing would have absolved the airliner from all the responsibilities. She had refused to sign the bond and later the airliner had to issue a public apology to her.
Ms. Jindal also strongly raised the issue of lack of accessible toilet in the aircrafts. “These airlines can have first class cabin and luxurious showering room, but not an accessible toilet! Imagine holding your bladder for 6-10 hours in a long-haul flight,” she wondered.

Svayam’s Founder told the young audience how Svayam helped the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to make the first ever World Heritage Site of Qutub Minar accessible, followed by other WHS such as the Taj Mahal, Red Fort and Fatehpur Sikri Group of Monuments. “The footprints increased phenomenally after these monuments were made accessible,” she said.

She also talked about Svayam’s contribution in 2011 Census’ campaign – “Stand Up and Be Counted”. It was the clarion call for persons with disabilities to have themselves enumerated in the final round of the 2011 Census. Svayam raised awareness, so that families did remember to answer question No. 9 – the question framed to gather information about number and categories of disabilities. During the campaign, Ms. Jindal had said that by hiding, person with disabilities deny themselves the right to be citizens and deny the government an opportunity to plan for their empowerment.

Ms. Jindal said, “There is no shame in having a disability. You may have a disability; still, you can be glamourous and pursue your passion as usual.”

She also said that the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 has increased number of disabilities from 7 to 21. “This increases the importance of accessibility in built environment.”

Ms. Jindal also talked about Svayam’s international presence. In 2012, the Transport Research Board’s (TRB) Standing Committee on Accessible Transportation and Mobility (ABE60) agreed to establish the Permanent Secretariat of the Triennial TRANSED Series of conferences to be run by Svayam as its sole contribution to the promotion of mobility and transportation for the elderly and the disabled people.

She also talked about small little changes which can make big differences in the lives of people with reduced mobility, such as a proper ramp gradient, wider doors, ‘but most importantly an open heart!’

“If I can, you can, and together, we can,” Ms. Sminu Jindal exhorted the young audience to work for accessibility now for their own better tomorrow.

Young Indians (Yi) Tweeted:

 

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Svayam Founder featured on AXSChat

Dear Colleagues,

#AXSChat is an open online community of individuals on Twitter, dedicated to creating an inclusive world who believe that accessibility is for everyone. Every week, #AXSChat features a different guest who is contributing to making the world a more inclusive place through technology or innovating to enable wider participation in society for people with disabilities.

In this series, on 24 February 2018, our Founder-Chairperson Ms. Sminu Jindal was invited by AXSChat team for an online interview.  The live interview conducted by Mr. Neil Milliken (England), Mr. Antonio Santos (Ireland) and Ms. Debra Ruh (United States) focused on a number of issues around accessibility, sustainability, ICT, Smart Cities and Svayam’s contribution towards an inclusive world.

Ms. Jindal spoke at length on importance of raising awareness about accessibility and how it benefits everyone and not merely the persons with disabilities. She highlighted the grey areas in transport sector especially the aviation sector where long haul flights still did not consider accessible toilets as a necessity and why the stakeholders across the world continue to suffer in silence without making a hue and cry about it! She emphasized that on-board accessible toilet isn’t a luxury but a basic human right for persons with reduced mobility!

She also said that youth need to be sensitized as they can become change makers for a more sustainable and accessible world. Ms. Jindal emphasized on the importance of accessible toilet at every school in rural areas, so that the people still not exposed to the benefits of the accessibility are able to experience the benefits and be inspired to make their own toilets accessible. This would also enable the persons with reduced mobility such as older adults to contribute to national building.

Watch the full interview here and continue to support #Accessibility4All

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CSR Vision interviews Ms. Sminu Jindal, Our Founder

CSR Vision   Volume – 6, Issue: 8, December 2017

An indefatigable accessibility crusader, Ms. Sminu Jindal is a visionary entrepreneur who broke the myth that women cannot lead the big business entities. She successfully took the Jindal SAW Limited, a part of the $18 billion Jindal Group of Industries, to greater heights. In 2000, she founded ‘Svayam’- an initiative of the S.J. Charitable Trust, with an aim to make this world, particularly India, accessible and dignified for the people with reduced mobility. Svayam has worked with ministries, departments and organizations to bring about path-breaking changes in the accessibility landscape in India, including making the World Heritage Site Qutub Minar accessible to the people with reduced mobility.

In a brief chat with Mr. Santosh Kumar, the CSR Vision correspondent, Ms. Sminu Jindal, MD, Jindal SAW Ltd. & Founder-Chairperson, Svayam, talks about lack of awareness about accessibility, importance of making rural India accessible, accessibility as a CSR option, and how inclusive schooling can be a game changer, among other things. Excerpts from the interview:

When people hear the word ‘Accessibility’, they immediately link it with the disabled or disability, while the truth is that accessibility is required by anyone with reduced mobility such as the elderly, expecting mother and the injured. How do you remove this ‘Big Confusion’ and convince people as well as the policymakers about this everyone’s need?

Photo of Ms. Sminu Jindal, Founder Svayam
“There is a widespread lack of awareness about accessibility which benefits all” – Ms. Sminu Jindal, MD, Jindal SAW Ltd. & Founder-Chairperson, Svayam

That is very true. Due to lack of awareness, people generally assume that accessibility is only for the disabled. Also, people are either too sympathetic or totally apathetic towards the persons with disabilities. We need to accept that people with disabilities need opportunity, not charity. They are as normal as anyone else, and they don’t deserve any less or more dignity. And disability does not mean ‘inability’.

I think a greater, sustained and robust awareness is needed to spread the message amongst the people as well as the policymakers and other stakeholders that accessibility is for all; it benefits everyone. Doesn’t an accessible toilet help a pregnant lady, an elderly with reduced mobility or an injured, or a patient who just had an operation? Does a ramp only help a wheelchair user?

You have already made a name for yourself in the domain of accessibility, but there is lot to be done. What are your priority areas of action in this sector both at the level of policy as well as action?

Raising awareness is our top priority. Today, India’s 65% population is under 35, which means we will have the same number of elderly population after 30-40 years. So, we need to plan now. Secondly, as India is 70 per cent rural, accessibility is crucial in remote areas and villages. India can be made accessible only when rural India is accessible. The government should add accessibility as a non-negotiable clause in rural schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Gram Awas Yojana, so that a portion of fund is spent on making village infrastructure accessible.

Accessibility is crucial in huge impact areas such as railways, public infrastructure, various modes of transport, tourism and education, as it benefits a large population. So we focus more on these segments.

What do you think about the Government’s mission, “Sarva Siksha Abhiyan” (Education for All)? Does it help children with disabilities?

The Government’s mission, “Sarva Siksha Abhiyan” (Education for All) is a very good idea, but we have to ensure that every child with disabilities get to school.  For this, we need accessible school environment, trained and sensitized teachers, awareness, and accessible school transportation. PM’s slogan ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas’ epitomizes the ethos of this great nation. But as I said, we need to take along everyone.

Parents of children with disabilities may feel that special schools are better places for their kids to get education, and that their children may face discomfort in regular schools, but they should understand that today’s discomfort will make their children face the world bravely when they grow up; they will be better equipped to handle the complexities and diversity of life. It will also sensitize other children towards the needs of the children with disabilities, so that they will appreciate the differences. This is true inclusion.

What has been your experience of working in the field of accessibility? What are the issues that you come across?

I feel lack of awareness is the main hurdle. That is why accessibility is often much lower on our priority list. Accessibility is also often neglected at the planning stage. If minimum non-negotiable clauses are added at the planning stage itself, we can save a lot of money because retro-fitting, post the completion of a project, costs 25-30% more.

As per a study conducted by our publication for the Department of Disability Affairs, GOI, awareness about disabilities and accessibility amongst the corporate is insignificant. As per your understanding what needs be done to generate awareness amongst the corporate India to enable them to do justice to their CSR budget by focusing on the disability and accessibility sector?

CSR Vision’s findings echo my perception. CEOs are no exceptions; they are not aware about potentials of enabling environment created by accessibility to attract and retain a committed and diverse manpower. They also look at disability as a charity, as opposed to persons with disabilities as equal rights holders. This charity approach is not sustainable. Time has come that Indian CEOs look at persons with disabilities as potential employees. They need to modify their HR policy to make it more inclusive. Researches also reveal that employees with disabilities are more committed, stay longer with their companies, and are more motivated. Companies only need to provide accessibility, and reasonable accommodation at workplaces. The cost for making offices accessible is negligible as compared to the value these employees add to the company.

We also need to work with persons with disabilities and their families, so as to bring a change in their attitude and perception towards life and work.

Traditionally, CSR budget is spent on segments like environment protection, skill development, health, girl child education, etc. After the latest amendments in the Companies Act, areas related to accessibility, inclusive education, culture, disability sports have also been added to the list which can be funded under the CSR budget. However, very few companies consider these new areas.

In absence of any committed action by the Government in the development of accessible infrastructure, what initiatives can be taken by the civil society/NGO to ensure the public infrastructure is accessible in the whole country, especially rural areas?

We can’t say that the government has no committed plan or action for accessibility. But yes, things might get delayed due to bureaucratic hurdles, or simply dye to lack of expertise and awareness. The role of NGOs is crucial in many ways. As I said more actions are needed in rural India, NGOs can help build the right momentum and make it a movement, empower people, raise consensus, and link the cause of accessibility to safety, well being and enhancing the quality of life for all.

You are known as an accessibility champion; accessibility is closer to your soul. You are also heading Jindal SAW Limited. How do you balance family life and work when your pursuit is so big and the pressure is so tremendous?

Accessibility is about quality of life, and giving opportunity to everyone to contribute to the GDP and the National Happiness Index (NHI). I think everyone should be an accessibility champion as it affects all of us at some point of our lives. Accessibility also ensures that old and disabled people live, and not just breathe.

Yes the work pressure is too much, but when your work is your passion, you don’t get tired, bored or detached. I am also fortunate to have a family which shares my passion, and is always there to support me, motivate me and tell me ‘never say die’. I am really very thankful to my family.

And today after 17 long years, Svayam has lakhs of people to support its mission. “हम अकेले ही चले थे जानिब-ए -मंज़िल मगर, लोग साथ आते गए और कारवां बनता गया ” | 

P.S. – This interview was originally published in CSR Vision Magazine and its PDF version is available at link CSR Vision [December 2017 edition](PDF File size 5.32MB)

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Applications invited for Svayam Accessibility Awards 2015

Svayam Accessibility Awards 2015

Applications in prescribed format are invited for the forthcoming Svayam Accessibility Awards 2015 from organizations (both Government/ Private sector including municipalities, panchayats, PSUs, PPP models, NGOs, proprietorship firms, etc. ) who have taken initiatives to make their built environment, infrastructure and services (including information and communication technology, consumer products, assistive technology etc.) accessible to all irrespective of their abilities, gender, size, language, culture, and especially the persons with disabilities, children and seniors.

The award ceremony will coincide with the 14th International conference on Mobility and Transport for the Elderly and the Disabled Persons, at Lisbon, Portugal in 2015 and Awards will be presented during the Award Ceremony at the Conference venue in Lisbon, Portugal during 28-31 July 2015. (Details about the TRANSED 2015 are available at www.transed2015.com)

The awards are an attempt to recognise the efforts of the potential organisations and to encourage them to reach their highest potential to ensure universal accessibility for all. This is also to encourage other organisations to be in pursuit of achieving universal access in their infrastructure, products and services that leads to making a community liveable for all.

How to apply

Applications in the prescribed proforma can be sent by email or submitted on-line until 15 June 2015 or alternatively be sent by post addressed to the following, so as to reach by 15th June 2015 :

The Coordinator
Svayam Accessibility Awards 2015
C/o Svayam- National Centre for Inclusive Environments
Jindal Centre, 12, Bhikaiji Cama Place, New Delhi – 110066, India
Phone +91-11-41462323, 41462080
Email: Svayam.india@gmail.com & editor@svayam.com
Website: www.svayam.com ; www.transedconferences.com

The nomination for the award can be also filled up by non-applicant i.e. one who is not bidding for the award for itself, however, it should be with the written consent of the organization being nominated and that in the event of their selection, they would accept the award.

For details click here Svayam Accessibility Awards

Download the nomination / application form

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Maharastra ASI monuments to have braille signage soon

Shaniwarwada, Ajanta & Ellora to soon host signages in Braille

Neha Madaan,TNN | May 25, 2014, 06.03 AM IST

PUNE: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will put up information and signages in Braille at historical monuments in the state. The initiative, launched in some monuments in Delhi, will be introduced in phases. It will cover heritage sites like Shaniwarwada, Aga Khan Palace, Elephanta Caves, Kanheri caves, Solapur Fort, Ajanta and Ellora and several others.

An ASI official told TOI on Monday that ticketed monuments in the Mumbai-circle will be taken up for installing Braille signages. In the next phase, they will be put up in the remaining monuments, he said.

“The modalities of this initiative including the budget will be worked out soon. We will take inputs from Delhi and Bhopal, where the initiative has already been started,” the official said.

A senior official from the ASI Delhi headquarters, said, “We realized that ASI has to cater to the visually-challenged, along with introducing other measures for people with disabilities. These include ramps, wheelchairs, and washrooms. Putting up information in Braille is part of the exercise.”

New Delhi-based Svayam, an initiative of the SJ Charitable Trust, has been working with ASI as consultants for over eight years, in making heritage sites accessible to all, including senior citizens and the disabled.

Abha Negi, director of Svayam, said, “We had made several suggestions to ASI in our audit reports on monuments, including putting up tactile maps and information in Braille in monuments. They could put up the tactile map in only one monument, but we do hope they put it in other places in the state as well.”

Negi added that Braille signages are a snapshot of what the monuments have to offer, how the visitor can go around, apart from providing information on the history of the place. Tactile maps help the user in getting knowledge of their environment. “It is a guiding map which shows the user how the monument is and the topography of the place,” she said.

Meanwhile, the newly-formed ASI Nagpur circle will focus on introducing basic amenities before installing the Braille signs. “Facilities like drinking water, toilets and ordinary signs are being planned in monuments such as Markanda in Gadchiroli district and in Lonar and Ramtek. As many as 25 such monuments will be taken up in 2014-15, with an approximate budget of Rs 20 lakh per monument,” an official said.

Box: Disabled-friendly signs

The signs will be easily visible with more focus on the background and panel contrasts,

Contrasting the text and symbols with the panel will make the sign easily readable

Tactile text and symbols along with Braille will help a blind person read the sign

Signs which show the correct use of colour contrast, words, pictogram and arrow directions will cater to diverse users

(Source: Svayam)

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Agra and Delhi Monuments under ASI to go Braille-friendly

Dear friends,

Seven years back Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and Svayam together embarked on the mission to make the world heritage sites accessible to all including the elderly and the disabled and entered in to an MoU.  We are proud to share the fact that our joint efforts have been recognized and feted by not just the stakeholders but the Union Tourism Ministry, Government of India in form of prestigious National Tourism Awards for making Qutb Minar, Red Fort & Fatehpur Sikri Group of Monuments as accessible & most disabled friendly monuments in past few years.

We appreciate the spirit in which ASI has implemented the recommendations of the Access Audit Reports shared by Svayam of monuments related to Delhi Circle as well as Agra Circle, particularly making provisions of Tactile & braille information at the heritage sites & museums for the benefit of the visually impaired visitors. The braille signage were provided at all monuments under Agra Circle by Arushi – a Bhopal based NGO that works with people with disabilities.

Visually impaired visitors reading the braille information board at Taj Mahal
Braille signage installed at Taj Mahal by ASI with technical assistance from Arushi – a Bhopal based NGO.
Braille Signage at Taj-2
Braille Signage standing next to the text signage at Taj Mahal entrance.

Needless to say this would not have been possible if the Archeological Survey of India had not been committed to take this lead and not only translate its own mission of conserving and maintaining the national heritage sites but taking it to a higher level of making it accessible in all terms of the word to all.

The Superintending Archaeologists of different circles should take lead in ensuring that the monuments under their control are made completely accessible in terms of the access audit reports as well as best practices shared with them. We congratulate Mr. NK Pathak , SA -Agra Circle &  Mr. M. Ali, CA – Taj Mahal and Mr. Vasant Swarnkar, SA-Delhi Circle for this initiative. This gradually needs to be replicated at all other world heritage sites and ticketed monuments under other Circles of ASI.

Here is a related news from Delhi Circle that appeared in Indian Express 

For visually challenged visitors, ASI makes monuments Braille-friendly 

Express News Service | New Delhi | May 13, 2014 2:33 am

In an effort to disseminate information to visually-impaired visitors, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has put up signs in Braille, explaining the cultural and historical significance of the structures at the most-visited monuments in Delhi.

The move came after officials at the Delhi circle of ASI realised the need to reach out to people with disabilities and decided to put these signboards up.

“The project was the brainchild of Superintendent Archaeologist (Delhi) Vasant Kumar. He suggested that blind people visit Delhi’s monuments frequently, but have to rely on either people with sight to read out the information boards to them or hire tour guides, who often give them wrong information. So, it was decided that in addition to Hindi and English, we should have signboards in Braille language too. We got in touch with blind schools in the city and translated the text into Braille with their help. Now, visually-challenged visitors can read the history of our heritage structures on the newly-installed signboards,” a senior ASI official said. Kumar was unavailable for comment.

To begin with, the ASI has put up the Braille signposts only at the 10 ticketed monuments, including the three World Heritage Sites – Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb and Qutub Minar – that are also among the most frequented places in the city, both by domestic as well as foreigner tourists. The other monuments to get the signs are Jantar Mantar, Old Fort, Safdarjung Tomb, Tughlaqabad Fort, Kotla Feroze Shah, Sultan Ghari’s tomb and Rahim Khan-e-Khana tomb.

The feedback ASI has got from the visitors ever since the Braille signs were put up two months ago has reportedly been very positive and encouraging. The organisation is now planning to implement it in other structures too.

“People are happy; earlier, they could visit the monuments but not see anything. This move not only provides them information but also gives them a greater sense of involvement. We will now gradually extend these information boards to all monuments that witness a high footfall,” the official added.

Lauding the effort, INTACH Delhi convenor AGK Menon said the move is a “great effort” and was legally required. “As per the Disability Act, every public place needs to made accessible for people with special needs. For example, the herbal garden in Rashtrapati Bhavan is one place that has signs in Braille for a long time. So, this is a good idea. We should increase it to more and more public places,” he said.

National Blind Youth Association (NBYA) general secretary Shobhit Yadav said the ASI’s move will “go miles” in helping blind children and adults trying to understand the city’s history and culture.

“Special schools sometimes take their blind students out for educational excursions but not as much as normal schools, where children with eyesight study. This is mainly because the children have to rely on others for information. The information boards in Braille will be an important step towards their understanding and reading of national history,” Yadav explained.

Sound shows and historical documentaries, he suggested, could also prove extremely helpful for blind students and need to be conducted more often at these heritage sites. “That way, they can at least listen to the historical facts being laid out.”

News Source: Indian Express 

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Svayam to work with Tourism Ministry for Accessibility at Heritage Sites

Dear Friends,

Here is a recent coverage on MoT inviting Svayam to help Ministry to make more World Heritage Sites accessible.

No access for barriers at heritage sites

Nivedita Khandekar , Hindustan Times New Delhi, April 26, 2009

After Qutub Minar, the other two World Heritage Monuments in the national capital — Red Fort and Humayun’s Tomb — would be made barrier-free on par with international standards.
Sujit Banerjee, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, said plans are afoot to make all tourist places, especially heritage sites, accessible for all ahead of the Commonwealth Games. “NGO Svayam has worked at Qutub Minar to make it accessible for all and I have positive feedback on it. So we have invited the NGO to be part of the Ministry’s core team,” he said.

When asked the need for re-doing work at places like Humayun’s Tomb, which are already disabled friendly, Banerjee said, “We are conducting an audit for the same. There is scope for improvement.” The Ministry will provide the funds needed for the job, he added.

Svayam Director Abha Negi said, “We have already conducted and submitted an accessibility audit for the Red Fort and would be carrying out a similar exercise for Humayun’s Tomb in the coming weeks.”

“Making a heritage site disabled-friendly is not enough. It needs to be accessible for all, including the aged, pregnant women and even obese people,” she said.

“Beginning with the heritage monuments frequented most by tourists, we would be working towards making all heritage monuments in the city accessible for everyone,” she added.

Sujit Banerjee had recently announced at a conference that his Ministry has been pro-active in taking initiatives for inclusive tourism and to ensure that not just heritage sites but all public places frequented by tourists, like airports and hotels, would be made accessible for all.

The NGO is also working closely with the Ministry for similar efforts at the Taj Mahal and the Jalianwala Bagh.

Source: Hindustan Times