Inclusive accessibility is more than a creed for Sminu Jindal. The compassionate entrepreneur and managing director of Jindal SAW has been pushing forth this ideal through Svayam, an organisation dedicated to promoting accessibility. Ms Jindal, who since her childhood has faced mobility impairment, set up Svayam in 2000 to create barrier-free environment and promote the dignity of people with reduced mobility. An MBA in finance from New Delhi’s Fore School of Management, Ms Jindal is a successful businesswoman in male-dominated sectors of steel, oil and gas. Under her leadership, Jindal SAW has become one of the world’s largest pipe manufacturers, offering a comprehensive range of piping solutions.

Her social entrepreneurial venture Svayam works with policymakers and stakeholders to change the perception that accessibility is only needed by persons with disabilities. Swayam has contributed significantly to making public infrastructure inclusive. It has been collaborating with government agencies, educational institutions, transport authorities and other entities to promote accessibility. In an interesting conversation with Sharmila Chand,
Ms Jindal points out how the government, the private sector and the society at large can make inclusive accessibility a reality.

What inspired you to incept Svayam, and how has this journey evolved over the years?
Svayam was not born out of a grand plan; it arose from a pressing need. Years ago, I realised that although many government schemes and legal provisions were in place to support persons with disabilities, very few people were aware of them. That gap in access to information became the starting point. In 2000, we launched Svayam as a web portal to make such information more accessible and
actionable.

In its 25th year, Svayam has evolved from a knowledge-sharing platform into a national movement driving advocacy, awareness and on-the-ground implementation of accessibility. Over the years, we have collaborated with ministries, transport authorities, airports, metro systems, railways and heritage custodians to make public infrastructure more inclusive. One of our early milestones was making Qutub Minar the first accessible World Heritage site in India, followed by successful interventions at the Taj Mahal and the Fatehpur Sikri group of monuments. We were a part of the advocacy effort that resulted in the inclusion of disability-related questions in the Census of India 2011, ensuring that persons with disabilities were counted and considered in policymaking. Today, Svayam works across multiple sectors – supporting accessibility in sports, tourism, sanitation, urban development and public services – and has conducted access audits of numerous public spaces and institutions.

As someone who has personally experienced mobility challenges, how has your perspective shaped the vision and priorities of Svayam’s advocacy and initiatives?
Since I was 11, I have lived with mobility impairment. I have encountered both visible and invisible barriers, ranging from buildings without ramps to deeply-ingrained societal perceptions about persons with disabilities. These experiences have significantly shaped my worldview and directly impacted Svayam’s work. Accessibility is not just for people with disabilities. It is for everyone who experiences reduced mobility, whether temporarily or permanently. That includes senior citizens, pregnant women, parents with young children, individuals recovering from injuries and even travellers navigating unfamiliar environments with luggage. Inclusive design is not niche; it is universal. It is also important to recognise that many barriers are not physical but attitudinal. Inclusive accessibility is not about charity. It is about respect, equality and rights. I often say: Do not build a ramp
for me; build it because one day, someone you love may need it.

Would you elucidate the significance of India’s first Accessible Tourism Conclave, and how you envision it shaping the future of inclusive travel in India?
This conclave comes at a pivotal moment for India. As we prepare to host global sporting events like the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the 2036 Olympics, we must reflect on whether we are truly ready to welcome the world, not just in terms of infrastructure but also in terms of inclusivity. The conclave, set to be organised in New Delhi, is about more than travel. It is about preparedness and recognising that accessibility must be integral to the design of stadiums, hotels, airports, metro systems, public spaces and tourist destinations. The Conclave will bring together ministries, tourism boards, urban planners, transport providers, hospitality professionals and accessibility experts to evaluate our current situation collectively and identify concrete, scalable solutions.

What are the biggest barriers faced by persons with reduced mobility in tourism and travel in India, and how does Svayam plan to address them through this conclave?
The most visible issues are physical barriers. Despite significant investment in infrastructure, many public spaces – including airports, hotels, stadiums and tourist attractions – still lack essential features, such as ramps, tactile pathways, accessible toilets or functioning lifts. Equally significant are attitudinal barriers. A lack of sensitivity training for frontline staff in tourism, hospitality and transport often leads to persons with reduced mobility being overlooked or misunderstood. Policy-related and systemic barriers, such as high import duties on assistive devices and inadequate enforcement of accessibility norms in construction continue to impede progress.

The conclave will aim to tackle these challenges comprehensively. Svayam intends to put forth the following issues at the conclave:

•          Access audit findings and lived experiences of para-athletes and travelers.
•          Facilitate dialogue between government, private sector leaders and accessibility experts.
•          Recommend actionable steps to build sector-specific accessibility standards for tourism and sports
      infrastructure.
•          This is not merely about physical access; it encompasses participation, pride and parity. If India aspires to become a global destination, we must create an environment, where every guest and citizen can              move with ease and dignity.

How can government organisations, private sector players and communities collaborate more effectively to build a truly accessible India across public life?
Creating a genuinely-accessible India is not a solitary endeavour. It necessitates coordinated efforts of government, industry and civil society. The government must continue to lead with strong policies, standards and enforcement mechanisms. Campaigns like Accessible India have laid the groundwork, but there is a pressing need for inter-ministerial collaboration, clear timelines and accountability across departments. The private sector has both the capacity and the responsibility to drive inclusion. Hotels, restaurants, cinemas, shopping centres and ride-hailing platforms must adopt universal design. The community plays a transformative role. Social change begins at homes, schools and public spaces. Changes become sustainable when communities advocate for inclusion in festivals, schools and everyday life.

At Svayam, we have always believed that accessibility is not a privilege but a right. As we celebrate 25 years of advocacy, our message remains unchanged: An inclusive India is a stronger, smarter and fairer India. It will require all of us to build it together.