Wheels Of Change

Virali Modi's advocacy journey began when she survived a life-threatening illness that left her paralysed from the chest down. The activist speaks to Adila Matra about the challenges she faces as a wheelchair user and her efforts to drive meaningful change through initiatives like the #MyTrain Too campaign.

You've been a vocal advocate for accessibility in travel. Could you share a travel experience that highlighted the need for better accessibility?

I was raised in the USA, so when I first came to India in 2008 after my disability, the inaccessibility astounded me in the worst way possible. An experience that shaped my belief in the need for accessibility was when I was molested and manhandled while trying to access a train. When I landed in Mumbai in 2008, I had to travel to Delhi, via train, the very next day for medical reasons. As soon as we reached the compartment of the train, my mother called two porters over and instructed them to carry me to my seat. She instructed one person to lift me from my upper body and the other would carry me by my legs.