Para-athlete & disability rights’ activist
Age: 29 years
Location: Gurgaon, India
Medical condition: Hemiplegia
Her story: Born with Hemiplegia, an accident as a toddler worsened her paralysis on one side of her body. Despite her disability, Devika went on to become an international para-athlete. Having won 11 medals, she is well-known as an international advocate for people with disabilities. She has won the prestigious Queen’s Young Leader Award 2015 and is the co-founder of Wheeling Happiness, an organization which empowers people with disabilities. She has also received recognition from the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi.
Her struggle: From finding it challenging to write to being mocked at school for her disability, Devika faced a difficult childhood. To add to this, her mother became paralyzed below the chest. Supporting each other, Devika and her mother together took care of her younger sibling while her father served the country in Kargil.
Her first step towards making a difference: She is deeply inspired by her mother Deepa Malik, who is a renowned Indian para-athlete. At the young age of 12, Devika began volunteering her time for the community. She went on to co-establish 'Wheeling Happiness' along with her mother. Having an educational background in Psychology helped Devika counsel people and their caregivers during the rehabilitation process.
Her contribution to the society: 'Wheeling Happiness' has made travel, schools, and workplaces more inclusive through their sensitization programmes. They train airline staff for catering to differently-abled passengers. They audit corporate and sports facilities to make them inclusive. Their awareness sessions have benefitted more than 10,000 people. They have also set up a centre for occupational therapy for children with special-needs. They have helped in training more than 50 para-athletes and have distributed 500+ assistive equipments.