EMPOWER 2024
Honorary Professor, IIT Delhi
Prof. M. Balakrishnan is a distinguished visiting professor at Plaksha University and an honorary professor at IIT Delhi. He is a fellow of ACM and INAE, known for his pioneering work in mobility and education for the visually impaired. He co-founded the ASSISTECH lab with Prof. PVM Rao and initiated the EMPOWER conference in 2018. His contributions have earned him numerous awards, including the ACM Eugene Lawler Award.
CEO, Raised Lines Foundation (RLF)
Mr. Pulkit Sapra is a social entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in assistive technology. An IIT Delhi graduate, he is the CEO of Raised Lines Foundation (RLF) and co-founder of Iwayplus. RLF has empowered over 25,000 visually impaired individuals by enhancing mobility, education, and independent living through technology. Iwayplus focuses on accessible wayfinding technology for indoor spaces like hospitals and campuses. Pulkit's work has received several national awards from organizations such as DST, Nasscom, Microsoft, and IIT.
Principal, Centre for special education-VIDYA SAGAR
Kalpana is the Principal of the Centre for Special Education and Head of the Department of Speech, Language, and Communication. As a parent of a non-verbal daughter with cerebral palsy, Bhavna Botta, she was inspired to work in the field of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Kalpana is also a founding member of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication's India Chapter (ISAAC-India).
Writer and Blogger
Aditi Sowmyanarayan is a 19-year-old award-winning writer and blogger. Her novella With You Right Through won the Best Manuscript award at the JK Author Awards 2022-23 and was published as Gobble Thy Prejudice. Her short story collection Small Stories Big Thoughts received positive reviews, including from the Stanford Neurodiversity Project. Passionate about raising awareness on non-speaking autism, Aditi made a presentation for the United Nations on World Autism Awareness Day 2023. She is a member of the India Chapter of the Institute of Neurodiversity and writes blogs on autism and alternative communication for Avaz Megaphone and India Autism Center
Co-founder, Braille Without Borders and kanthari
Sabriye Tenberken, a German co-founder of Braille Without Borders and Kanthari, became fully blind at age 12. She developed the Tibetan Braille Script during her studies and, in 1998, co-founded the first school for the blind in Tibet with Paul Kronenberg. In 2005, they founded Kanthari, an institute for social change makers, where Sabriye leads the academic program. A public speaker and author of My Path Leads to Tibet, her work has been featured in award-winning documentaries Blindsight and Kanthari – Change from Within.
Professor, IIT Roorkee
Dr. Gaurav Raheja is a Professor of Architecture and former Head of Architecture & Planning at IIT Roorkee, with over 18 years of teaching and research experience. An expert in universal design, accessibility planning, and social sustainability, he founded the Laboratory of Inclusive Design (LID) and was instrumental in IIT Roorkee's top NIRF ranking for three consecutive years (2021-2023). Dr. Raheja has advised on major national projects, including accessibility for the PMO, New Parliament Building, and IGI Airport. He has authored key accessibility guidelines for India and collaborates internationally on urban inclusion and design.
World Health Organization
Dr B Mohammed Asheel Currently serving as the Country Focal Point and NPO for Disability Inclusion, Rehabilitation, Assistive Technology, and Injury Prevention at the World Health Organization, this individual has over 13 years of experience in the field. They are also a member of several national committees and task forces related to disabilities and rehabilitation. Previously, they served as Executive Director of Kerala Social Security Mission (KSSM) and National Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (NIPMR). They hold an MBBS from Govt Medical College, Alappuzha, and an MPH from Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Science and Technology.
National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People
Arman Ali, Executive Director of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP), has over two decades of experience advocating for disability rights in India. He has served in advisory roles with the Election Commission of India, NHRC, MSJE, and UNESCO. An alumnus of the U.S. State Department's IVLP and trained in Public Policy at Oxford University, Arman led the launch of the Javed Abidi Fellowship for Youth with Disabilities in 2021. He also influenced the introduction of inclusive health insurance and political manifesto promises. Arman received the National Award for Most Efficient Disabled Employee in 1998
Director, Strategic Alliances, Office of PSA
Dr. Poti is currently focused on promoting scientific research, development, and innovation in India. She architected Manthan, a platform connecting industries, foundations, academia, and startups, which won the Dun & Bradstreet Award in 2022 and was showcased at the 2024 World Government Summit. With a Ph.D. from IIT Madras and 30 years of experience, she is a Chevening Awardee (2015) and Swedish Leadership Fellow (2023). Dr. Poti has held key roles in government and corporations, and she is an active member of NITI Aayog’s Expert Group, among others. She was selected for the Woman of Excellence Award 2024 and is a recognized speaker and author
Founder, Vision Empower Trust
Vidhya, born blind in a resource-deprived village, faced significant challenges in pursuing STEM studies, which were predominantly visual. Motivated to help others like herself, she founded Vision Empower and Vembi Technologies to enhance STEM education and create assistive technologies for visually impaired students. Her contributions have earned her a national award from the President of India, recognition from figures like Satya Nadella and Vint Cerf, and commendation at the United Nations. A gold medalist from IIITB, Vidhya is a TEDx speaker, an international motivational speaker, and the first blind student in Karnataka to pursue STEM studies beyond high school.
Senior Manager, El Labs
Sayomdeb Mukherjee is a Senior Manager at El Labs and an accomplished author, award-winning actor, and popular radio jockey. With extensive experience in project management within the non-profit sector, he excels in business analysis, leadership, and team management. Sayomdeb has received multiple awards, including the Radio Excellence Award for his show Never Give Up My Friend and Best Actor at the Cincinnati Indian Film Festival 2019 for One Little Finger. He has authored two books, Memoirs of Time and 52 Steps. Despite challenges, he demonstrated remarkable mental strength by wheelchair traveling across 21 states, including Ladakh.
Co Founder & CEO,Yunikee Accessibility Services
Mr Rahul Jain, Co Founder & CEO at Yunikee Accessibility Services for Deaf Pvt Ltd. He previously worked at World Federation of the Deaf Youth Section as a Board Member. The goal of his organisation is to empower the deaf community by providing access to all products and services in Indian Sign Language. Additionally, by offering skill development and educational courses, the organisation aims to make the community independent and offer them a chance for a brighter future.
Senior Product Manager, Microsoft India
Ms Nidhi Jain, Senior Product Manager, Microsoft India has an experience of over 7 years which includes building products like Windows Assistive Technologies like Narrator, Voice Access, Cortana and Microsoft Search for Enterprise. She is also a core team member of disability ERG India Chapter at Microsoft and is passionate about sensitization and creating awareness of building inclusive workplaces. Prior to her professional career, she did her Masters from IIM Ahmedabad. Being visually impaired herself, she actively works for the community through mentorship, testing new technology or talking about her lived experience in various forums.
Program Manager - Inclusive eXperiences and Technologies, Amazon
Madhu Bala Sharma brings with her over 20 years of experience in the space of leadership development and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She has been living with 100% Blindness since birth, and she strives to find solutions for 'Independent living'! In order to motivate the society to think about the 'Abilities beyond Disabilities' for PwDs and not just consider them inspirational, and encourage many like her, she has presented her thoughts in national and international forums including a paper titled 'Disability, does it hamper Ability' at the 32nd CSUN conference, and ‘Accessibility and disability – a view from APAC region’ at Disability:in 2023 conference. She is also the face of a TV commercial 'Savlon Braille'. Amongst many awards and accolades, Madhu is a recipient of 'Role Model' award felicitated by the president of India.
Director, ICFOSS
Dr. Sunil T. T. is the Director of the International Centre for Free and Open Source Software (ICFOSS), Trivandrum, where he leads strategic initiatives to promote Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) across various sectors. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from IIT Bombay, with research interests encompassing sensor selection, gas detection, computer vision, and assistive technologies. Prior to his role at ICFOSS, he served as the Principal of the College of Engineering, Attingal, Trivandrum. A recognized expert in FOSS, Dr. Sunil has conducted numerous workshops and contributed to international publications. His leadership at ICFOSS is focused on advancing open-source technology, fostering innovation, and building strong collaborations with academia, industry, and government.
Scientist, ICMR
Dr. Ravinder Singh, a medical graduate with a doctorate in public health, is currently overseeing mental health, disability, rehabilitation, and assistive technologies at ICMR Headquarters, New Delhi. He completed his Ph.D. in Public Health on Adolescent Stress from Jawaharlal Nehru University in 2013 and has over two decades of research experience. Dr. Singh has edited national and international journals, chaired ethics committees, and contributed to various health initiatives. He has contributed to WHO-UNICEF GReAT Report. He has developed NLEAP and founded NCAHT. Other initiatives include NEWTAAT and RAFTAAR. His extensive contributions include chapters in books, task force studies, and numerous lectures globally.
Visiting Professer, DUK
Dr KG Satheesh Kumar is a professional with extensive experience in academia, management, and consultancy. He is currently serving as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Digital University Kerala. His career spans over four decades, marked by notable positions such as Director at NISH, CEO of Technopark, and Professor and Dean at the Asian School of Business..
Saksham Trust
Dipendra Manocha is on a mission to help persons with visual disabilities to lead life with dignity. Since 1993, he has been facilitating their inclusion in education, livelihood and daily living activities through appropriate use of technology solutions. He is Director of the developing countries programme of the DAISY Consortium. He is member of the executive committee of libraries for the Print Disabilities section of IFLA, CSO representative on the Working Group to implement the Incheon Strategy and Jakarta declaration (UNESCAP) and member of the World Braille Council. He is the designated focal person of DAISY Consortium to provide training and technical support in capacity building programs of the Accessible Books Consortium of WIPO. As part of his honorary contributions, He is founder Trustee of Saksham Trust, President of the DAISY Forum of India and Vice-president National Association for the Blind (Delhi). He has also worked as a consultant to Delhi University for establishing the resource center for persons with disabilities. .
Founding Director - Office of Learning Support | Ashoka University
Reena Gupta is a Clinical Psychologist and a Certified Educational Therapist. She is the Founding Director of the Office of Learning Support, Ashoka University. She founded this office in 2016 to support students with disabilities and other neuro-diverse needs such as dyslexia, with the goal of expanding the scope of neurodiversity and disability management in higher education in India. Besides creating collaboration opportunities with schools, universities and foundations that promote inclusion in their institutions, she is working towards establishing policy frameworks for disability management in the higher education ecosystem. She firmly believes that diversity and equity is central to achieving quality education for all learners In today’s world.