Startup Terminal
  • News
    • Technology
    • Funding
    • Tie-up
    • Acquisition
    • Australia Startup News
    • Singapore Startup News
    • India Startup News
    • UAE Startup News
    • UK Startup News
    • US Startup News
    • Launch
    • Video
  • Interview
  • Feature
  • Events
  • Variety
    • Startup Terminal 40 Under 40
  • Privacy Policy
  • Refund and Cancellation policy
    • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Technology
    • Funding
    • Tie-up
    • Acquisition
    • Australia Startup News
    • Singapore Startup News
    • India Startup News
    • UAE Startup News
    • UK Startup News
    • US Startup News
    • Launch
    • Video
  • Interview
  • Feature
  • Events
  • Variety
    • Startup Terminal 40 Under 40
  • Privacy Policy
  • Refund and Cancellation policy
    • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Startup Terminal
No Result
View All Result
Home Interview

Interview with Nipun Malhotra, Co-Founder and CEO, Nipman Foundation

StartUp Terminal Bureau by StartUp Terminal Bureau
February 10, 2022
in Interview
0
Nipun Malhotra, Co-Founder and CEO, Nipman Foundation

Nipun Malhotra, Co-Founder and CEO, Nipman Foundation

168
SHARES
2.1k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A champion of rights for the physically challenged, social entrepreneur and disability rights activist Nipun Malhotra is the Co-Founder and CEO of the Nipman Foundation, which works in the areas of health and advocacy for Persons with Disabilities.

An alumnus of Apeejay School, Noida, Nipun, 34, went on to study at other premier educational institutes of the country such as St. Stephen’s College, the Delhi School of Economics and the Indian School of Business.

Born with Arthrogryposis, a rare congenital disorder, he has been at the forefront of numerous efforts to ensure access for the disabled. The wheelchair access filters in restaurant listings on Zomato and the availability of wheelchairs at the NH7 and the Jaipur Literature Festival, are just a few direct results of his efforts. He has also lobbied with the Delhi Government to get the disabled exempted from the Odd-Even car rule. Along with this, Nipun is the founder of ‘Wheels for Life’ (www.wheelsforlife.in) – a crowdsourcing platform with a presence in 25 states, which connects those who need wheelchairs to donors who can financially contribute for them.

In an exclusive interview, he discusses among other things, how Apeejay created physical infrastructure for disabled people much before everybody else realised its importance.

Edited excerpts:

ST: Please let us know about the Nipman Foundation and the kind of work it does.

Nipun: Nipman Foundation was started in 2012 by my mother and me. It primarily works on advocacy for persons with disability and also focuses on empowering them through employment. Apart from that we have done a lot of accessibility audits and worked on events and festivals to make them accessible, along with making corporate offices accessible and sensitising government officials so that government policies include people with disabilities.

ST: India’s built environment is notoriously disabled un-friendly. How important is it for you and your foundation to alert policy makers about it?

Nipun: Yeah, an accessible environment is something that is a great leveller for people with disabilities. Accessibility can mean different things for different disabilities. For a wheelchair user like me, it may mean having a ramp and accessible infrastructure. For somebody who is blind and interested in technology, it may mean apps and websites being accessible so that they can be on a level playing field. For the deaf, it could just be access to a sign language interpreter. Accessibility is different for different people in that sense. But what generally prevents inclusion of people with disabilities in society is barriers that society builds up. And one of them is, of course, physical infrastructure. I feel that as long as these barriers are removed, people with disabilities can be as much part of society as anybody else. Removing these barriers is the challenge that we are working on.

ST: Many of our public buildings don’t have ramps. Apart from the Metro there are few accessible means of public transport. What are the advocacy steps that you have taken? Are you working with the government on these?

Nipun: The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 mandates that any building that comes up has to follow the harmonised guidelines on urban development. It includes various provisions related to accessibility. It is a fantastic document which measures up to global standards in that sense. But unfortunately what has happened is that no state across the political spectrum has changed its building bylaws to accommodate the harmonised guidelines. And I think till the time the building bylaws are not changed, buildings must not be mandated to become accessible to get a completion certificate. That was something that I have really been pushing. The Centre has done its bit in implementing that Act and saying that every building has to put the harmonised guidelines, but till states take the responsibility of amending building bylaws, the problem is going to continue. The sad thing is that there are not even one or two model states which can claim that they have taken the initiative and amended these bylaws that can inspire others.

ST: Please take us through your personal journey and your school-time experience

Nipun: I joined Apeejay School, Noida in class 4 when my family shifted to Noida from Bombay. The school was wonderful for me since it admitted a student with disability. This was even before the first disabilities act that was the Persons with Disabilities Act in 1995 that legally mandated schools to have people with disabilities. Luckily for me my mom wanted to send me to a normal school against the advice of those who told her that she should send me to a special school. But she thought that eventually I had to face the ‘normal’ world, and to face the normal world the best training is to go to a normal school in that sense.  In Bombay, a school called St Mary’s had admitted me after dozens of schools had rejected me. When we moved in class 4 to Noida, Apeeejay School, Noida, accepted me for what I am. Apeejay School, Noida actually has excellent infrastructure designed to facilitate ease of movement for the physically challenged. The entire school is accessible and has been for a long time. It was way back in 1997 that I joined Apeejay, Noida.

ST: You are an articulate and confident champion of rights of disabled persons. Was it a habit that you perfected while in school?

Nipun: There were a lot of teachers at Apeejay who encouraged the habit, but a message that I would like to give to persons with disabilities, especially students, is that as a student with disability, even you need to take a big initiative. Whenever my school used to have a sports day, I used to insist that since I can’t participate in the sports day, why don’t you make me the master of ceremonies? And the school was good enough to accommodate that request of mine.  So, I did develop my public speaking during my days at Apeejay and I even participated in a few plays. I used to insist that some role be assigned to me and the teacher was sporting enough to create a role for me. Overall, the faculty in school was excellent and very supportive. I remember the Geography teacher Manjari Ma’am was very encouraging both in class and extra-curriculars. I went on to study at St Stephen’s and Delhi School of Economics.

ST: What inspired you to start the Nipman Foundation?

Nipun: As far as my foundation is concerned the genesis goes back to the days when I  was studying at the Delhi School of Economics.  When I was doing my post-graduation and when I sat for placements, I discovered the discrimination that people with disabilities faced first-hand. Whenever I entered a job interview, the HR would not see a person who was the country topper in class 12, who studied Economics at St Stephen’s and the Delhi School of Economics but  a person on a wheelchair who had come in for an interview. I felt I was labelled and bracketed that way and that is what I wanted to really change, not in employment but in society in general, that’s what inspired me to start Nipman Foundation.

ST: You have been working closely with leading players in India Inc. Do you think corporate India has become more sensitive to the needs of disabled people?

Nipun: Yes, I would like to mention two specific industries that are leading this. One is the IT industry. Microsoft, Google and Amazon are not just doing a lot of work for people for disabilities, but they have brought in a lot of innovative technologies for people with disabilities. Secondly, the hospitality industry is doing a great job. The ITC, Lalit Group of Hotels and Lemontree Hotels, among others, give employment to people with disabilities. A lot more needs to be done but these two industries are setting the benchmark when it comes to people with disabilities.

ST: What will be your tips to motivate persons with disabilities?

Nipun: When it comes to persons with disabilities, it is always important to take the initiative. Go out there and make sure you are living an equal life. Till you don’t treat yourself as an equal to others, society won’t treat you as equal to others. Secondly, people tend to make assumptions about people with disabilities. So, at the school-going age itself, it is important to be open to communication with teachers about what you need. I am sure if you articulate it properly, the school will accommodate it to the extent possible. Be reasonable, also mention what you really want and try to come up with a common solution that works for both the school and you. Parents play an important role, too.   What I am today wouldn’t have been possible without my mother’s contribution who ensured that I went to a normal school.

 

Tags: Nipman FoundationNipun Malhotra
StartUp Terminal Bureau

StartUp Terminal Bureau

Startup Terminal is a global news portal reporting news and analysis on technology, start-ups, and business-related news from all over the world. We exclusively feature entrepreneurs, startups, businesses, and technology companies to reach out to a wider audience. Contact us at editorial@startupterminal.com

Related Posts

Aditya Arora
Interview

Young and brimming with talent: 25-year-old CEO Aditya Arora

June 29, 2022
C.R. Venkatesh, Founder of Minnal
Interview

Interview with C.R. Venkatesh, Founder of Minnal

July 27, 2022
Launching a startup Anuj Batra
Interview

Launching a startup is similar to making a plane take off and overcoming turbulence, says this biz guru

March 1, 2022
Next Post
Mrs. Sushma Paul Berlia

India's Union Budget 2022-23: Reaction from Mrs. Sushma Paul Berlia

Kate Hardcastle MBE

International Women's Day 2022 Interview: Kate Hardcastle MBE

Launching a startup Anuj Batra

Launching a startup is similar to making a plane take off and overcoming turbulence, says this biz guru

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

‘9 Entrepreneurisms’ debunks popular view on ‘risk-taking’

‘9 Entrepreneurisms’ debunks popular view on ‘risk-taking’

6 years ago
‘My involvement with SAB Kickstart helped to shape and develop me as an entrepreneur’- Inga Vanqa, owner of Inga Vanqa Quantity Surveyors

‘My involvement with SAB Kickstart helped to shape and develop me as an entrepreneur’- Inga Vanqa, owner of Inga Vanqa Quantity Surveyors

7 years ago
Industry Reaction on India’s Goods & Services Tax 2017

Industry Reaction on India’s Goods & Services Tax 2017

6 years ago
AXELOS launches ITIL 4 Foundation

AXELOS launches ITIL 4 Foundation

4 years ago
Free Cybersecurity Online Seminar- Brian Desmot, Founder of iTecs IT Outsourcing and Support

Free Cybersecurity Online Seminar- Brian Desmot, Founder of iTecs IT Outsourcing and Support

3 years ago
No Result
View All Result

Must Read

enza group and Wema Bank Join Forces to Boost Ecommerce Payment Acceptance

Mubadala Energy’s 2022 Sustainability Report Signals its Intensified Focus on Decarbonisation Initiatives

IAA Leadership Awards honours outstanding achievers

Neweast to establish AED500 Mn Automotive Parts Distribution hub in Jafza

Prosper Real Estate set to elevate UAE’s realty landscape with growth and investment opportunities

NLB Healthcare Partners with Nursing Norway AS and World Trade Center Pune to Launch Recruitment Platform for Indian Nurses

Trending

Anaptyss Launches New Global Capability Hub and Innovation Center in India
Launch

Anaptyss Launches New Global Capability Hub and Innovation Center in India

by StartUp Terminal Bureau
September 27, 2023
0

New Delhi, India, September 27, 2023: Anaptyss - a digital solutions and domain specialist serving the banking,...

AI4Rx launches MedBeat HealthConnect App

AI4Rx launches MedBeat HealthConnect App

September 21, 2023
PrepInsta Sets To Achieve 2.25 Lakh Student Placements Goal For FY 23-24

PrepInsta Sets To Achieve 2.25 Lakh Student Placements Goal For FY 23-24

August 11, 2023
enza group and Wema Bank Join Forces to Boost Ecommerce Payment Acceptance

enza group and Wema Bank Join Forces to Boost Ecommerce Payment Acceptance

August 10, 2023
Mubadala Energy’s 2022 Sustainability Report Signals its Intensified Focus on Decarbonisation Initiatives

Mubadala Energy’s 2022 Sustainability Report Signals its Intensified Focus on Decarbonisation Initiatives

August 10, 2023
Startup Terminal

Startup Terminal is a global news portal for Technology, Startups, and Businesses. Reporting on technology, start-ups, and business-related news from all over the world. We exclusively feature startups, and technology companies to reach out to a wider audience.
Startup Terminal is an official media partner at global conferences like:
#Mobile World Congress 4YFN,
#Barcelona, Spain
#ConnecTechAsia, Singapore (Formerly CommunicAsia)
#NXTAsia, Singapore
#Africa Com, Cape Town, South Africa
#Converge Events, Singapore
#young Startup Ventures, USA

Follow us on social media:

Recent News

  • Anaptyss Launches New Global Capability Hub and Innovation Center in India September 27, 2023
  • AI4Rx launches MedBeat HealthConnect App September 21, 2023
  • PrepInsta Sets To Achieve 2.25 Lakh Student Placements Goal For FY 23-24 August 11, 2023
  • enza group and Wema Bank Join Forces to Boost Ecommerce Payment Acceptance August 10, 2023
  • Mubadala Energy’s 2022 Sustainability Report Signals its Intensified Focus on Decarbonisation Initiatives August 10, 2023
  • IAA Leadership Awards honours outstanding achievers August 10, 2023
  • Neweast to establish AED500 Mn Automotive Parts Distribution hub in Jafza August 7, 2023
  • Prosper Real Estate set to elevate UAE’s realty landscape with growth and investment opportunities August 3, 2023

Readers’ Choice

  • Aneesha Dalal, SHIAMAK Dance Academy

    Interview: Aneesha Dalal, Master Instructor and Principal Dancer at The SHIAMAK Dance Academy

    350 shares
    Share 140 Tweet 88
  • International Women’s Day Interview: Arpita Mehta, Fashion Designer

    330 shares
    Share 132 Tweet 83

© 2023 Startup Terminal - Leading digital news portal-Startup Terminal | All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Technology
    • Funding
    • Tie-up
    • Acquisition
    • Australia Startup News
    • Singapore Startup News
    • India Startup News
    • UAE Startup News
    • UK Startup News
    • US Startup News
    • Launch
    • Video
  • Interview
  • Feature
  • Events
  • Variety
    • Startup Terminal 40 Under 40
  • Privacy Policy
  • Refund and Cancellation policy
    • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact Us

© 2023 Startup Terminal - Leading digital news portal-Startup Terminal | All Rights Reserved.