The initiative forms part of APD’s broader Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2026 programmes, which include a policy dialogue on integrating disability inclusion within environmental, social, and governance frameworks, the development of a Digital Accessibility Indicator, a multi-stakeholder panel discussion, and a public exhibition that first debuted in New Delhi before travelling to Bengaluru.
As India completes a decade since the implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, the Bengaluru event focused on strengthening data-driven policy development and community-led mapping of public infrastructure. The discussions gained further relevance in the context of recent guidelines issued by the Karnataka High Court aimed at improving accessibility standards in public and private buildings, underscoring the need for robust data systems, stronger enforcement, and active citizen participation.
Through the Yes to Access platform, citizens report accessibility information to help persons with disabilities, caregivers, and allies identify navigable public locations. To acknowledge districts that have significantly contributed to this accessibility database, APD honoured the top five performing districts. The newly launched Policy Research Fellowship is designed to support research driven by data, aimed at enhancing institutional accountability and improving policy implementation outcomes.
The event was inaugurated by Dr Suman Kumar, Director of the Ali Yavar Jung Institute of Speech and Hearing Disabilities. Delivering the special address, Dr Manik Gursal, IAS, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Government of Maharashtra, highlighted the evolving framework of disability inclusion in India, stating that true inclusion is achieved when persons with disabilities can participate fully in everyday life with dignity and independence, requiring sustained commitment to equity, opportunity, and shared responsibility.
An interactive exhibition traced the development of the Yes to Access initiative. Two panel discussions examined the role of technology and inclusive design in infrastructure planning, as well as the contribution of families and volunteers in building inclusive communities.
Speaking at the event, APD Chief Executive Officer Sukanto Aich stated that with a decade of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act completed, the focus must shift from intent to measurable impact. He emphasized that accessibility requires policy, evidence, meaningful community participation, and sustained collective action. He further noted that through the Policy Research Fellowship and Yes to Access platform, APD is advancing a combined approach of research and citizen engagement to drive systemic change.
The event concluded with a collective commitment to transforming accessibility from policy intent into lived reality through sustained collaboration, evidence-based action, and community leadership.
The Association of People with Disability is a Bengaluru-based nonprofit organisation working to empower persons with disabilities through inclusive education, livelihoods, skill development, community-based rehabilitation, policy advocacy, and accessibility initiatives, aiming to build equitable systems that enable full participation in society.
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