Shanti Raghavan
Shanti Raghavan | |
|---|---|
| Add a Photo | |
| Born | New Delhi |
| Education | Vivekanand Education Society's Institute of Technology, University of Mumbai |
| Occupation | Founder of EnAble India |
| Known for | Social Entrepreneur and Founder, EnAble India |
| Spouse(s) | Dipesh Sutariya |
| Awards | Ashoka Fellowship, National Award |
Shanti Raghavan is an Indian social entrepreneur and disability rights activist. She founded the non-governmental organization, EnAble India.[1] EnAble India works towards economic independence and the dignity of Persons with disabilites. Through the NGO, Shanti aims to close the gap that exists between disabled and non-disabled people in our society.[2]
Early Life
Shanti Raghavan was born on June 26, 1968, in Delhi, India. She graduated as an engineer and then headed to pursue Masters in Computer Science from Monmouth University, New Jersey, United States.[3]
Career
She worked as an IT professional in companies like AT&T, Bell Labs, GE Aircraft Engines, and ADP. She also worked for a startup called Cybercash.
Enable India
Inception
While Shanti was in the US, in 1992, her 15-year-old brother, Hari was diagnosed with Retinitis pigmentosa. It is a degenerating eye disorder that causes gradual vision loss. Shanti explored technology that could help her brother lead an efficient life despite Visual impairment. She called her brother to the US where he learned white cane mobility, and computers with the aid of screen reading software and explored adventure sports. He went on to complete his education with an MBA from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies. Despite topping his class and appearing for 70 job interviews, Hari could not land a job.[4] This was the cue for Shanti to work on a larger problem of employability of persons with disabilities.
Here the choice of working with a disability was personal. Seeing Hari, she wanted to turn challenges into opportunity. Because for her, disability is not the problem, it’s the lack of solutions that create barriers for persons with disabilities. And in this search for solutions, Shanti has explored technology as an enabler for persons with disabilities.[5] Technology helps level the playing field by giving access to opportunities in educationand employment.She started EnAble India from her Bangalore home, to create job opportunities for persons with disabilities so they become economically independent. Since then the NGO has been working towards job identification, employability training, sensitization and inclusion of persons withdifferent types of disabilities.
Honours and Awards
Shanti Raghavan received many national and international awards.
The awards are as follows:
- National Award from Pratibha Patil
- Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award by Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship[6]
- Ashoka Fellowship[7]
- Agenda Contributor at the World Economic Forum 2022
- Presented with National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People
- Women Transforming India Award 2022 from Niti Aayog
- Governing council member of the Skills Council for Persons with disabilites[8]
- The Most Powerful Women in Business 2017 by Business Today (India)[9]
- Presented with Manthan Award by Digital Empowerment Foundation
- Times Now Global Amazing Indian Award by Times Now
References
- ↑ "Shanti Raghavan: Enabling A More Inclusive India".
- ↑ "Enabling the Disabled - Business Today".
- ↑ "Enable India helps People With Disabilities Find Work".
- ↑ "This woman has helped more than 4,500 disabled people get jobs".
- ↑ "Building AI Solutions For An Inclusive World Is The Need Of The Hour".
- ↑ "Schwab Foundation Announces Social Innovators of the year".
- ↑ "Shanti Raghavan | Ashoka | Everyone A Changemaker".
- ↑ "Governing Body | The Skill Council For Persons With Disabilities".
- ↑ "Shanti Raghavan - Speaker | The Nudge".
External links
This article "Shanti Raghavan" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.