इमेजिन वन डे यू वेक अप एंड रियलाइज दैट फ्रॉम टुडे ऑनवर्ड्स यू विल नेवर बी एबल टू सी अगेन हाउ वुड यू फील वुड यू ब्रेक और वुड यू फाइट हेलो एवरीवन आई एम आशिका सुनील गोयल आई एम 19 एंड आई एम ब्लाइंड नो आई वास नॉट बोर्न लाइक दिस इन फैक्ट आई वाज़ अ परफेक्टली हेल्दी बबली लिटिल किड रनिंग अराउंड लाफिंग ऑलवेज फुल ऑफ लाइफ अंटिल लाइफ चेंज्ड ओवरनाइट द कफ एंड कोल्ड आई वाज़ बैटलिंग सिंस इयर्स टर्नड आउट टू बी अ रेयर काइंड ऑफ कैंसर। अ ट्यूमर इन माय नेज़ल कैविटी दैट टू एट इट्स लास्ट स्टेज। डॉक्टर सेड शी वोंट लिव लॉन्ग। द ट्यूमर ...

Overcoming Adversity & Personal Growth - The speaker was affected by polio at 14 months old, leading to significant physical limitations and dependence on others for basic care [1][2] - Despite facing numerous challenges, including 39 surgeries and 21 fractures, the speaker persevered with the support of her mother and maintained a commitment to education, completing 10th grade with distinction [6][7] - A pivotal moment occurred when the speaker advocated for herself in college, leading to accommodations that facilitated her continued education and personal transformation [9][10] - The speaker emphasizes the importance of accepting one's circumstances and focusing on solutions rather than dwelling on limitations [8][13] - Experiencing and overcoming problems is essential for understanding the true value of success [12][13] Philanthropic Endeavors & Impact - The speaker runs the Matra Foundation, an NGO in Bangalore that supports physically handicapped and economically disadvantaged children from across Karnataka [22] - The foundation provides comprehensive care, including education, medical assistance, and support to help children become independent and contribute to society [22][23] - The speaker considers herself a "proud mother of 53 children," highlighting her dedication to nurturing and empowering the children in her care [22] Life Lessons & Perspective - The speaker encourages listeners to embrace challenges, find solutions, and appreciate the positive aspects of life [12][13][15] - The speaker shares anecdotes to illustrate the importance of perspective, gratitude, and proactive engagement with the world [15][16][17][18] - The speaker emphasizes that life's difficulties can be transformed into sources of strength, motivation, and positive change [14][22]

[प्रशंसा] टुडे वी आर गोइंग टू टॉक अबाउट कंक्लूजन एंड एम्पैथी बिकॉज़ बीइंग रे इन अ फैमिली ऑफ़ गवर्नमेंट सर्वेंट मुझे लगता था कि मैं इन शब्दों के असली मतलब समझता हूं। इक्वलिटी एक्सेस प्रैक्टिस होता हुआ देखा था घर में। बट नॉट अंटिल आई गॉट एक्सपोज टू हाउ एक्सक्लूजन टेक्स प्लेस इन आवर सोसाइटी। वेरी सेटल बट वेरी एविडेंट। आई नो आई रिमेंबर आई हैड अ प्रिविलेज चाइल्डहुड व्हाटएवर आई वास सीकिंग आई गॉट अच्छी एजुकेशन अच्छी नचरिंग। आई गॉट इंटू इंजीनियरिंग कॉलेज सिक्यर्ड अ गुड जॉब। भिलाई से निकल के आई वेंट टू दिल्ली। और तीन- ...

Key Takeaways - The speaker emphasizes the importance of truth-telling in environments where it's often suppressed [1][2] - The speaker shares personal experiences, including being born with a disability and facing societal stigmas [2][3] - The speaker highlights the societal tendency to define inspiration as overcoming suffering, rather than preventing it [7] - The speaker discusses making life decisions based on elimination rather than passion, influenced by family and societal expectations [9][10][14] - The speaker recounts achieving state first rank in engineering entrance exam [13] Overcoming Challenges & Societal Perceptions - The speaker faced challenges in education due to their disability, being denied admission to multiple schools [5] - The speaker's family faced societal judgment and criticism due to the speaker's disability [3][16] - The speaker's skydiving experience was misinterpreted as a source of inspiration, overshadowing efforts to advocate for disability infrastructure [20][21] - The speaker's journey to the South Pole was inspired by another explorer's climate change advocacy [27] - The speaker humorously addresses societal misunderstandings and prejudices faced by people with disabilities [33][34] Humor & Happiness - The speaker advocates for maintaining a sense of humor in the face of failure and adversity [36] - The speaker emphasizes the importance of finding joy in the little things in life [38] - The speaker concludes that happiness throughout life's journey is more important than accomplishments [39]

Overcoming Adversity & Personal Growth - The speaker shares their personal journey of living with cerebral palsy and overcoming challenges [1][2] - Initially, the speaker blamed external factors for their limitations and difficulties [1][3] - A turning point occurred when the speaker embraced their disability and focused on self-acceptance [8][9] - This shift in perspective led to pursuing passions like dance and achieving significant personal milestones, including weight loss of 28 kgs (approximately 61 pounds) in 10 months [10][11][12] Life Lessons & Empowerment - The speaker introduces the "Four A's" - Awareness, Acceptance, Ace, and Action - as key principles for navigating life's challenges [15][16] - Acceptance is presented as a way to break free from the "blame game" and take control of one's life [16][17] - The speaker emphasizes the importance of setting goals, taking action, and embracing opportunities [16][19] - The core message is that individuals can overcome obstacles and live fulfilling lives by reframing their thoughts and actions [20][21]

Advocacy and Policy Change - The speaker's advocacy led to the Delhi High Court's historic judgment ensuring bus accessibility for persons with disabilities nationwide [42] - Successful advocacy efforts reduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on disability aids from 18% to 5%, with ongoing efforts to eliminate it entirely [44][45] - The speaker collaborated with 85 Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to create a charter of demands for persons with disabilities, presenting it to various political parties to ensure their inclusion in policy and politics [47] - The speaker worked with Zomato to add access filters to restaurants, influencing other apps to adopt similar accessibility features [36] Corporate and Social Inclusion - The speaker founded the Nipon Foundation in 2012 to help persons with disabilities get jobs in the corporate sector, focusing on sensitization workshops, accessibility audits, and disability employee resource groups [29][30] - The speaker initiated an award recognizing companies that employ people with disabilities, with Microsoft as a title partner [31] - The speaker created "Wheels for Life" in 2016-2017, connecting people who need wheelchairs with those who can donate them, costing 5,000 rupees [52][53] Thought Leadership and Research - The speaker collaborated with Zoom on a report analyzing reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities across 19 countries [48] - The speaker worked with NDTV and Hyundai on the "State of Disability in India" report, highlighting the need for more thought leadership and disability studies departments in India [48] - The speaker launched a journal called "Access Point" to track disability policies across the country and inform various sectors on how disability intersects with society [52]

Personal Experience & Disability Awareness - The speaker shares personal experiences with multiple sclerosis and related disorders, highlighting the challenges of living with an often invisible disability [1] - The speaker discusses the societal perception of disability, moving from pity and charity to empathy and understanding [1] - The speaker emphasizes the importance of empathy and small acts of kindness in making the world more livable for people with disabilities [1][2] Healthcare & Medical Diagnosis - The speaker recounts a decade-long journey of medical diagnoses, including multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), and MOG antibody-associated disease [1] - The speaker describes the impact of these conditions on physical abilities, including walking, talking, and vision [1] - The speaker mentions undergoing chemotherapy as part of the treatment [1] Societal Barriers & Invisible Disabilities - The speaker describes the challenges of navigating societal barriers, such as using elevators designated for people with disabilities and facing disbelief or questioning [1] - The speaker highlights the emotional and physical exhaustion of constantly translating one's body and negotiating pain levels due to an invisible disability [1] - The speaker points out that the real barrier is not the physical one, but the silence, disbelief, and discomfort encountered from others [1]

Overcoming Limitations & Achieving Excellence - The narrative emphasizes that limitations are self-defined illusions, highlighting the importance of mindset in achieving goals [1][2] - The individual excelled in the challenging International Baccalaureate (IB) program and pursued rigorous majors at the American University in Cairo, demonstrating academic achievement and leadership [2] - The individual became the first blind Egyptian woman to obtain the IB diploma and was the class valedictorian, showcasing exceptional academic performance [7] Advocacy & Awareness - Advocacy is a powerful tool for shaping lives and evoking change, encouraging individuals to stand up for their beliefs and rights [21][22] - The individual advocates for the success of visually impaired individuals, particularly within the IB diploma program, using assistive devices like talking calculators and screen readers [18] - The individual spoke at international schools and multinational companies, conducting workshops about disability and how to deal with it, promoting awareness and understanding [20] - The individual emphasizes that blind and visually impaired individuals are open to answering questions about their experiences, promoting open communication and understanding [17] Adaptability & Resourcefulness - The individual utilized extraordinary devices and machines to overcome visual challenges in subjects like biology, geometry, and trigonometry [9][10] - The individual participated in various sports and activities, including cycling, skiing, and ziplining, demonstrating adaptability and a willingness to push boundaries [12][13][14] - The individual memorized spacious places like the AU campus and traveled independently using a white cane, showcasing independence and resourcefulness [15] Philosophy & Inspiration - The individual's philosophy is that they can do everything that sighted people do, but in different ways, emphasizing adaptability and innovation [25] - The quote "disabled doesn't mean defective the same way that able-bodied doesn't mean perfect" promotes acceptance and equality [26]

Healthcare & Assistive Technology - The story highlights a child who experienced complete hearing loss at six months old, emphasizing the importance of early detection and intervention for hearing impairments [1] - Globally, over 430 million people require hearing assistance, with 43 million being children, underscoring the widespread need for hearing solutions [1] - Cochlear implants were used as a solution, costing a significant amount, requiring the family to seek funding, highlighting the financial challenges associated with advanced medical treatments [1] - Post-implantation, the child underwent extensive speech and reading therapy, demonstrating the long-term commitment required for rehabilitation and integration into mainstream society [1] Social Impact & Inclusion - The narrative emphasizes the transformative impact of hearing restoration on the child's ability to communicate, form relationships, and experience life fully [1] - The individual faced challenges such as spinal problems and speech impediments, showcasing the multiple hurdles that individuals with disabilities may encounter [1] - The story underscores the importance of family support, faith, determination, and competence in overcoming adversity and achieving personal goals [1] - The individual's success as a photographer and graduate of fine arts and design demonstrates the potential for individuals with disabilities to excel in creative fields [1] Technology & Innovation - The report explains how cochlear implants work, converting sound waves into digital signals and electrical impulses to stimulate the auditory nerve, providing a basic understanding of the technology [1] - The individual's adaptation to the artificial sound produced by the cochlear implant highlights the brain's plasticity and ability to adjust to new sensory inputs [1]

Accessibility & Inclusion - The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding and embracing disability, highlighting that a significant portion of the population (27% of Canadians over 15, or 8 million people) lives with a disability [18] - The speech advocates for prioritizing accessibility in everyday life to enable people with disabilities to fully participate in society [21] - The speaker challenges the audience to consider the accessibility of their surroundings and actions for individuals with disabilities [22] Personal Experience & Advocacy - The speaker shares personal anecdotes about navigating life with short arms, including challenges with dressing, societal expectations, and discrimination [1][4][7][8][17] - The speaker discusses the emotional impact of disability, including feelings of frustration, sadness, and the need for self-acceptance [5][11][13][17] - The speaker aims to change perceptions of disability and inspire action towards a more inclusive world [23][24] Societal Impact & Awareness - The speech highlights the commonality of disability, noting that many people will be personally affected by disability at some point in their lives [14][15] - The speaker points out the societal tendency to have low expectations of people with disabilities while simultaneously expecting them to keep up with able-bodied individuals [16][17] - The speech encourages empathy and understanding towards individuals with both visible and invisible disabilities, urging the audience to recognize their shared desires and aspirations [19][20]