People with disabilities – and their families – have grown accustomed to getting so little in life they are often ridiculously grateful for the tiniest things. Part of our work is to raise their expectations.

There are several excellent laws regarding disability in India. The People with Disabilities Act is one – and few know its provisions and stipulations. For example, children with disability have the same right to an education as any other child in the country. No government-aided school can refuse admission to any child. And  in private schools, disability is unacceptable as an excluding factor for admission.

There are quotas in all government jobs for people with disability – they are almost routinely unfilled.

People with disability, and their escorts, are entitled to generous travel concessions on buses, trains and – to a limited extent – by air.

Special tax benefits exist for families looking after a person with disability and schools which have children with disability enrolled are entitled to a cash grant per child.

Anything which makes a person’s life easier is a good thing. An easier life for a person with disability means he or she will be able to get out more often. And the more people with disability are seen – in schools and workplaces, on public transport and in restaurants, in the legislative assembly and on television – the more inclusive the world becomes.

And as the world grows more inclusive, people with disability can finally begin to take a few things for granted – education, access, employment.