“I left India three months after my graduation. I found myself settled in the USA with my family. Life was comfortable, yet, something tugged at my heart. It was the desire to do something for my home country, India, something profound, something that could change lives.
The source of my inspiration was my mother. She had always shown me the importance of compassion, and the plight of persons with disabilities was a cause close to her heart. I vividly remember one incident that struck me deeply. A friend’s wife, who had lived in India for over five decades, was disabled, and she had never been able to touch the seawater. That hard reality hit me, sparking questions in my mind. “What if I were disabled?” I would often ask my mother.
It was from these thoughts that Able Aura was born. The mission was clear: to enable access for persons with disabilities to anything they wanted to do, needed to do, or wished to do. In India, the disabled often faced economic hardships, limited opportunities, and felt invisible in society. A staggering 15% of the population lived with disabilities, yet they rarely ventured out, their dreams and aspirations seemingly out of reach.
We set to work, determined to make a change. We started by creating a tourism program for persons with disabilities, offering them the chance to explore the beauty of the world. We established sports academies and Aura Games for persons with disabilities, and today, we have five such centres.
The desire for social interaction and inclusion led to establishing social interaction centres for the disabled. We wanted them to feel seen, heard, and valued. We also launched an e-commerce platform, allowing them access to anything they desired. In our pursuit to make all of this possible, we founded a dedicated foundation to raise funds and generate support.
Inspired by the power of ideas, we created “Aura Speaks,” a platform alike TEDx, but tailored for persons with disabilities. We wanted their voices to be heard, their stories to inspire, and their dreams to become reality. We wanted them to realize their full potential, just as we all do.
One question has always been on my mind: “How many days have you been truly happy?” I would ponder over this, and my answer used to hover around 20 to 25 days. Life’s difficulties are meant to be experienced, learned from, and ultimately cherished.
My ultimate goal is to eradicate disabilities in India, and to see every individual, regardless of their physical or mental challenges, live a life of equality and dignity.
Together, with Able Aura, we work tirelessly to make this vision a reality. We aim to be the beacon of hope, the catalyst of change, and the driving force behind a brighter, more inclusive future for all.”
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