Awards were given away in three categories which include persons with disabilities, working professionals and Corporates or Organisations who have created an impact in accessibility and Universal Design in any of the areas such as built environment, transport infrastructure, service provision, information and communication technology (ICT) and aids and appliances.
This year's awardees include Prashant Madhukar Naik, who has worked for accessible technologies and financial inclusion for the blind, Arun C Rao, who has worked on deaf rights and developing the Indian Sign Language, Professor Kavita Murugkar who has worked on incorporating Universal Design in university curricula.
"Access signifies independence for people with disabilities. Look at the scenario - less than 2 per cent people with disabilities have access to financial inclusion; only 0.05 per cent printed material is accessible to the blind; and Indian Sign Language is not even a recognised language. Amidst all this, the work of our awardees is pioneering and inspirational for others," said Javed Abidi, Honorary Director, NCPEDP.