Dr. Anjlee Agarwal, is a National Award recipient and a pioneer in universal accessibility and sustainable mobility. In conversation with The Navhind Times, she shares how personal experience can shape more thoughtful urban design and why accessibility must be central to India’s urban future
MARIA FERNANDES | NT
At 18, you were diagnosed with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. Looking back, what stands out most from that period and how did it change your perspective?
It was a time of profound change and honestly, an immense shock. I had always led an intensely active life as a Bharatanatyam dancer and a BSc student. Overnight, everyday actions like walking to a laboratory became physically challenging. Muscular dystrophy was hereditary in my family. Seeing my elder sister live with the condition meant I understood what lay ahead.
When most people are envisioning careers and long-term ambitions, my focus shifted toward economic independence and self-sufficiency. I was determined not to become a burden on my family.
Despite being a gold medalist with a straightforward route to an MSc, I decided to change course. I chose entrepreneurship knowing that financial empowerment while I still had my strength was essential. It marked a decisive shift, from following a predefined path to consciously creating my own.
In the early days after your diagnosis, which everyday obstacles were most present as you began navigating the world differently?
The real challenge began the moment I stepped outside my home. Even simple outings quickly revealed how inaccessible the world was. In 1998, roads, crossings, public transport and vehicles were not designed for people with disabilities.
There was also a limiting social mindset. Because my disability was visible, there was an unspoken expectation that I should stay indoors; something I struggled with, as I had always loved travelling and being active.
As a young entrepreneur in handicrafts and handlooms, I had to travel extensively, often to remote villages. At just 19, navigating inaccessible buses, trains and public spaces was overwhelming. This made me reflect deeply: if this was my reality with a visible disability, how were others, especially those with invisible disabilities, coping? That question became the catalyst for my lifelong commitment to accessibility and inclusion.
When you began working on accessibility and mobility, what was the initial project you undertook? How did that experience lay the foundation for your later work and the Samarthyam – Center for Universal Accessibility?
Working in business at a young age within a deeply patriarchal environment made exclusion impossible to ignore. Two ideas stayed with me. First, tourism was a powerful economic sector, supporting countless livelihoods in handicrafts and handlooms through both international and domestic visitors. Second, tourism is inherently visible. If accessibility could be embedded in tourism, it would naturally extend to hotels, tour packages, heritage sites, and public transport systems.
I felt the Taj Mahal was the ideal place to begin. If this iconic monument could be made accessible, it would send a powerful message that accessibility is possible everywhere. In 1999, this idea took shape with the support of my sister, an outgoing former NCC cadet and a close friend who had once been an avid trekker but was also living with dystrophy.
Engaging with the Archaeological Survey of India on the idea of accessibility at a heritage site initially felt like solving a complex scientific problem. But we learned that nothing is impossible when solutions are approached with intent and thoughtful design.
That same year, physicist Stephen Hawking visited India and toured sites such as the Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb, and the Taj Mahal. Temporary accessibility measures were put in place for his visit but were dismantled as soon as he left. This unsettled me. It highlighted how accessibility was being treated as an exception rather than a right. I began speaking with the media and with travellers with disabilities, emphasising that we do not need a foreign visitor to validate our rights. We must advocate for ourselves and demand permanent, sustainable accessibility.
We began to study accessibility more seriously: the standards, codes, manuals and guidelines already available in India, and how they could be consolidated and applied. As we began raising these issues more publicly, we were invited by the United Nations ESCAP to participate in the first International Conference on Accessible Tourism in Bali, Indonesia.
Bringing those global insights back home, we began exploring how international best practices could be adapted to the Indian context. This marked the first spark of Samarthyam – Centre for Universal Accessibility. From there, our work evolved into a more legislative and rights-based approach; engaging with government agencies to collaborate, connect and embed accessibility firmly as a human right, rather than a matter of charity.
Beyond technical specifications and formal policies, how do you interpret the purpose and significance of universal accessibility in fostering an inclusive environment for all?
Universal accessibility or universal design is not about a one-size-fits-all solution. It is about adaptability, flexibility and what the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities calls ‘reasonable accommodation.’
The process starts with understanding the diversity of human bodies before designing infrastructure. For example, most kitchens are built for an average adult male, even though women, often shorter, are the primary users. Counters, shelves and stoves are placed too high, limiting comfort and safety. By designing for different users, shorter, taller or wheelchair users, we create spaces that work for everyone, offering independence, confidence and choice. Universal design is about shaping spaces around people, not forcing people to fit the space.
I often advise architecture students to “design for yourself” and consider the lifespan – childhood, adulthood and old age. Experiencing spaces firsthand, like navigating a bus stop in a wheelchair for a day, gives insights no theoretical lesson can. Designing from personal experience ensures empathy, practicality and truly inclusive solutions.
Based on your daily experiences, how would you describe the state of accessibility in
Indian cities?
No Indian city is fully accessible yet. Most are only being retrofitted for accessibility after the 2015 campaign and even then, it’s often piecemeal, small “islands” of access with no real connectivity. Accessibility has to start from the first and last mile, from the pedestrian environment outside your home to public transport, workplaces, markets, libraries, malls, stadiums and movie halls.
When we talk about accessibility, it’s not just for people with disabilities, it’s for everyone. One out of five people will experience a condition affecting mobility, vision, hearing, memory or self-care at some point. Cities must be designed to accommodate these realities.
Despite laws like the RPWD Act and Accessible India Campaign, many people continue to be excluded from public spaces. Why does such a gap?
I’ve traveled to around 37 countries and seen some of the most accessible cities. For instance, Japan is exceptionally well-designed because its urban planning prioritises senior citizens; over 68% population is above 60.
In contrast, Indian cities are largely designed for young, able-bodied adults, often distracted by their phones, with little consideration for the fact that everyone will eventually face mobility, vision or health challenges. While laws like the RPWD Act of 2016 and initiatives such as the Accessible India Campaign have raised awareness and introduced ramps, accessible toilets and partial accessibility in public buildings, enforcement remains weak. New buildings often overlook accessibility at the design stage, and existing infrastructure deteriorates.
One positive development from the Accessible India Campaign is the introduction of accessibility audits, conducted by people with disabilities alongside professionals. While Samarthyam – Center for Universal Accessibility, had been doing audits since 1991, these were not taken seriously. Reports were often ignored due to lack of funding, technical understanding or capacity. For instance, tactile paving for visually impaired people, essential for safe navigation, was often poorly implemented or misunderstood.
Today, training and awareness programes have improved understanding among professionals that accessibility benefits everyone, not just people with disabilities. The law mandates audits, enforcement, and accountability, ensuring that accessibility is not merely symbolic but a real, actionable commitment. Equity and inclusion can only happen when every stage, planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance, is approached with awareness, capacity and enforcement in mind.
What does true ‘last-mile’ accessibility
look like?
When we talk about last mile connectivity, it’s really about the whole journey; from where you start to where you want to go and everything in between. Right now, most traffic lights are designed mainly for people who can see. But what about people who are blind, have low vision, learning disabilities, intellectual or psychosocial disabilities?
We need to think about that in the way we design our cities. For example, if a green light also shows a walking symbol, someone with a learning disability will know it’s safe to cross. Audio beepers can announce, “Get ready” or “Walk now,” helping people with visual impairments know when it’s safe to cross. Pelican buttons at busy intersections are another tool, people can press the button to extend the pedestrian signal, giving seniors or people with reduced mobility enough time to cross.
Accessibility is not just about safety, it’s about reliability, comfort, and affordability. And by affordability, I don’t just mean money; I mean saving time, effort, and stress. Standards like the National Building Code of India are now updated to include assistive technologies, so things like audio signals and symbols are built right into our infrastructure.
You are the driving force behind Sugamya Bharat, India’s national initiative for an accessible and inclusive nation. Can you tell us about its work and vision?
Sugamya Bharat or Accessible India is a campaign dedicated to making India barrier-free. It addresses multiple aspects of accessibility, including the built environment to ensure public spaces are usable for all, transportation to make travel easier, digital access through websites, apps, media and TV communications, product accessibility so everyday items can be used by everyone, and inclusive services and facilities. The success of this initiative depends on collaboration – ministries, departments, communities, and particularly the younger generation must all work together. Sugamya Bharat also offers an app where anyone can upload photos and descriptions of spaces that are either inaccessible or barrier-free, helping both the government and communities identify areas for improvement.
For young people reading this, especially those interested in cities and public policy, what should they notice or question when moving through public spaces?
The message I want to share with young people is simple: you are our future and that future must be accessible. If you wanted to take your grandparents out, you would want the city to be inclusive, safe, reliable, comfortable, and friendly. Similarly, if you’re thinking about taking your children out, you’d look for child-friendly spaces and designs. So why not design for both? When we create spaces friendly for seniors and children, it also benefits people with disabilities. And just like designing for women improves life for everyone, thoughtful design for children, women, seniors and people with disabilities benefits all of society.
Designing isn’t just about construction, it’s also about how spaces are used. Every small choice matters. Spread this message far and wide. On social media, we share stories and reels that highlight these realities; show your grandfather crossing a road safely or your grandmother shopping independently, making her own choices instead of being told, “Sit at home, I’ll get it for you.” Give them freedom, dignity, and the choice to live fully. That’s what true accessibility and inclusion are about.
There must be days when progress in accessibility feels slow. What gives you hope during such times?
My favorite mantra is that I want to see accessibility realised within my lifetime. I’m 55 now and I plan to work for at least another 20 years. I want India to become truly accessible within that time, maybe even sooner, so I can experience it, feel proud of it and leave behind a legacy of a Sugamya Bharat for future.
