Santosh Kumar Rungta

As President, World Blind Union at the global level and General Secretary, National Federation of the Blind since 1978, I have contributed immensely to the disability movement for the last 50 years. I was instrumental to the enactment on the rights of persons with disabilities in India. By profession, I am a reputed senior advocate in India and am responsible for many landmark judgments including on the rights of persons with disabilities. I have also actively participated in the initiatives of UN ESCAP during successive decades of disabled persons from 1993 onwards. As a part of my participation in UN ESCAP, I contributed to the preparation of a manuscript of a UNESCAP publication on Equalization Legislation for the disabled in the Asia-Pacific Region, as well as on accessibility legislation in the region. I took an active part in the deliberations of the UN Adhoc committee, which was constituted for drafting and negotiating the UNCRPD with the Member countries and Civil Society