Inclusiv'e Voices with Rajiv Mittal

Meet Rajiv Mittal, an entrepreneur in his 60s hailing from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, who is sharing his journey of transitioning as a person living with a visual?disability. Rajiv holds an M.Com from C.C.S. University, Meerut, and a B.Ed. from Rothak. He enjoys activities such as gardening, organizing his home, and engaging in conversations with people around him.

Rajiv lives with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a rare, inherited degenerative eye disease that causes severe vision impairment, due to which he gradually lost his eyesight at the age of 30. He is married to a woman with blindness and has two daughters, both married and settled in Meerut and Gurugram, respectively. Before losing his eyesight, he worked as an accountant in multiple firms, demonstrating his determination, adaptability, and intelligence throughout a successful career. Later, he transitioned to a new career as the principal of a blind school in Delhi, serving in this role for 6-7 years.

As he faced growing challenges related to daily commuting due to his age and disability, Rajiv courageously ventured into entrepreneurship. Since 2007, he has taken pride in owning a printing and stationery business, which provides him with greater control over his schedule and helps him overcome mobility-related obstacles.

In addition to his professional journey, Rajiv's life is enriched by a diverse array of hobbies and interests that bring him joy and fulfillment. In his daily routines, Rajiv upholds a steadfast commitment to independence. He takes pride in meticulously ironing his clothes and keeping them well-organized. His love for gardening shines through in his impressive terrace garden, home to nearly 50 thriving plants, each receiving his personal care and dedication. Rajiv finds enjoyment in activities such as visiting the nursery, attending old Hindi songs concerts, and exploring various places using an e-rickshaw.

Besides his hobbies and interests, Rajiv has a deep appreciation for human interaction. He relishes engaging with people, sharing his experiences, and inspiring those around him with his positive outlook on life. He firmly believes that, even in the face of life's challenges, nurturing a zest for happiness can make the journey easier.

Rajiv's understanding of Accessibility and Reasonable Accommodations:

Rajiv's understanding of accessibility revolves around anything that has been made through voice. While evolving into a person with permanent blindness, he has encountered various barriers not just in digital and physical spaces but also in the attitudes of the people around towards his disability. Initially, basic adjustments like handrails and ramps made navigating public spaces more manageable. As time went by, the need for accessible transportation and flexible workplace adaptations became essential to maintain his independence. Today, he relies on the support of his family and a handful of trust worthy people around to stay connected and access essential services.

As a visually impaired person, he relies on assistive devices and technology to navigate daily life. Features like Talkback, Magnifiers and screen reader, which read text aloud, and assistive devices equipped with cameras for scanning notes and colours, including Alexa have become essential tools for his independence. He also learned to use a white cane as the premises were unpredictable most times with a lot of level differences. Over time, he felt more comfortable walking with verbal descriptions from reliable persons in navigating the surroundings.

When recollecting his experiences travelling to work, he shares, "During the early stages when I was working as a principal, I used to commute through public bus facility between meerut and delhi on a daily basis,? and I communicated by disability and used to request the driver to let me off near to the edge of the footpath, as it was the most convenient drop-off point to navigate. However, despite my repeated requests and efforts to communicate my needs, the bus driver would often stop in the middle of the road where I happened to be hit by the scooters and other vehicles passing by.”

Rajiv Mittal also faced trouble getting around in Delhi. Out of many, he shared two such instances, “During my commute in the Delhi Metro, I struggled in navigating the bustling metro stations. Fortunately, the metro authorities provided an escort to assist me, but we still encountered some difficulties due to the communication gap. Before heading to board the train, I requested him to guide me to the washroom, while we made it through the stairway, he forgot to inform me about the midlanding end and I stumbled losing my balance and fell down rolling through the stairs and hurt myself too bad. Another time, the escort was guiding me and it was my very first experience through an escalator, he did not provide me with the right instructions to drop off the edge when reaching the floor, and I got hit by the floor and fell down. I have always faced such challenges oftentimes in conveying my exact needs. Although the escorts both times were well-intentioned, they could not guide me with the right verbal instructions. Even though I appreciate the effort made by the metro authorities to help passengers with Disabilities with the escort services, there needs regular sensitization and training on how to communicate and accommodate various types of Disabilities to ensure comfortable and safe travel of the passengers."

While sharing his experiences of interacting with many people, he explains, "As a visually impaired person, I have had to face a lot of criticism and ignorance from society. However, there are people who are eager to help, so the experience is a blend of difficulties and challenges."

These instances serve as reminders of the need for improved understanding, communication, and accommodation between individuals with disabilities and service providers. They also underscore the complexities when disability coincides with the effects of aging, making it increasingly challenging.

Rajiv's journey serves as a reflection of the ever-evolving landscape of accessibility and sheds light on the ongoing need for proactive measures to guarantee inclusivity for individuals with changing needs. He envisions that as society embraces innovative technology, fosters understanding, and advocates for reasonable accommodations, we can progress toward a future where every individual, regardless of their abilities, can fully engage and participate in all aspects of life.

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