New Delhi, Aug 21(HS): In a landmark initiative to strengthen disability inclusion in policymaking, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) has signed an MoU with the Nipman Foundation and Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC) to roll out the Breaking Barriers Fellowship.

The fellowship will place dynamic young professionals within DEPwD offices to provide policy support, enhance institutional capacity, and accelerate the implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016.

The MoU was formalized by Ashish Thakare, Director, DEPwD; Nipun Malhotra, Founder, Nipman Foundation; and Rohit Kumar, Co-Founder, YLAC, in the presence of senior officials including Secretary Rajesh Agarwal and Additional Secretary Manmeet Kaur Nanda.

Key aims of the fellowship include equipping fellows with government experience under expert mentorship while infusing fresh ideas into disability-inclusive governance. The agreement, valid for a year with an option to extend, underscores transparency, merit-based selection, structured reporting, and strict adherence to confidentiality norms.

With this pioneering collaboration, the government and its partners reaffirm their shared vision of empowering young leaders and driving inclusive policy reforms to advance disability rights across India.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar