Svayam, India’s pioneering accessibility organisation, hosted a Curtain Raiser at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi, previewing the country’s first National Accessibility Summit, scheduled for November 2025. The event gathered senior leaders from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Foundation and KPMG, who will serve as the industry and knowledge partners respectively, and jointly lead the Summit’s white paper aimed at reinforcing Svayam’s mission to make accessibility a national priority.
Opening the session, Sminu Jindal, Founder-Chairperson of Svayam, highlighted the urgent need for inclusive infrastructure across tourism, transport, hospitality, sports, and public spaces — aligning with India’s aspirations to host mega sporting events such as the Commonwealth Games 2030 and the Olympics 2036.
She drew attention to Svayam’s recent role as Accessibility Partner for the World Para Athletics Championship 2025 at New Delhi’s JLN Stadium, emphasising that “after the successful hosting of this world-class event, the need for accessible infrastructure and transport as key elements to host successful international sporting events has become more evident than ever.”
She added, “The upcoming summit would not be a ceremonial event but a platform for concrete commitments. Accessible infrastructure is smart planning that benefits everyone while strengthening the economy. Accessibility must be woven into India’s development narrative, making it a lived reality for persons with reduced mobility and seniors across the country.”
Devendra Jhajharia, President of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), said, “With India having just hosted World Para Athletics Championship where Svayam was the accessibility partner, we saw the importance of inculcating accessibility in major sporting events and with India’s ambition to host 2036 Olympics, the need for accessibility to be mainstreamed as a priority rather than an afterthought has never been more crucial. I would like to thank Svayam and Ms Jindal for making accessibility a forefront at the World Para Athletics Championship and for making it a huge success for India and I look forward to more such events being hosted by India.”
As the driving force behind the summit, Svayam aims to bring together policymakers, industry leaders, and global experts to make accessibility a central national priority. The collaboration with the CII Foundation will encourage broader industry engagement, while KPMG’s participation as knowledge partner will ensure the summit’s outcomes are evidence-based and actionable.
Sarbani Chakravarty, Director at CII, said, “We are proud to collaborate with Svayam and bring the industry’s voice to this important movement. Making accessibility a business priority will open new markets, boost customer loyalty, and support India’s global aspirations. The summit, under Svayam’s leadership, offers a unique space for industry and civil society to develop tangible, measurable solutions for an inclusive future.”
Tina Mathur from KPMG India said, “We are honoured to partner with Svayam as knowledge partner for the National Accessibility Summit. Our role is to ensure the summit’s recommendations are rooted in robust research and global best practices, culminating in a comprehensive white paper. We believe this collective effort will pave the way for scalable, evidence-based solutions, and enable India to set new benchmarks in accessible infrastructure and inclusive growth.”
The session also referenced findings from the World Bank’s Inclusive Cities Report 2022, which highlighted that countries investing in accessibility ahead of major cultural and sporting events experience significant economic and social benefits.
The event concluded with a shared commitment from all stakeholders: accessibility is not just an add-on, but a core requirement for a Viksit Bharat. Svayam reaffirmed its commitment to leading this national movement by building strong partnerships and turning vision into sustained action.
