Pratishtha Deveshwar hails from Punjab, with roots in Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar. When a car accident changed her life at just thirteen, her family became her pillar of strength. Her mother, Jagriti Sharma, stood by her through years of physical and emotional recovery. With her family's support, Pratishtha rebuilt her confidence and kept dreaming bigger.
Pratishtha Deveshwar is a motivational speaker, disability rights activist and inclusion strategist with 26.2k followers on Instagram. Paralysed from the waist down in a childhood accident, she went on to study Political Science at Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi, and earned a Master's in Public Policy from Somerville College, University of Oxford. She is recognised as India's first wheelchair-using Oxford graduate. On national and international stages, she advocates for accessibility, equity and inclusive leadership, and inspires young people in India and abroad.
At 13, Pratishtha was an accomplished dancer and an enthusiastic skater, full of movement and dreams. Then a devastating car accident left her paralysed from the waist down. Losing her mobility meant losing a way of life she loved, and it took her nearly a year to come to terms with her new reality. She chose to turn pain into purpose. She pursued her education with fierce determination and overcame disability-related barriers to excel at India's and the world's top institutions. Her accident became the turning point that launched her mission for a more inclusive world. She chose to be remembered not for what she lost, but for what she built.
- Recognised as India's first wheelchair-using Oxford graduate.
- Recipient of the Diana Award, one of the world's highest honours for young changemakers.
- Honoured at the House of Commons, British Parliament, with the 75 Achiever Award (2024).
- Distinguished Alumna Award from Lady Shri Ram College for Women (2024).
- Recognised as a Future Female Icon under "Pathbreakers Powering New India".
- Associated with Girl Up at the United Nations, New Delhi, championing empowerment and inclusive leadership.