Ideator, Founder and Curator
Our strength lies in our strong individuality. Set up by Adv. Abhishek Kumar, we strive to bring in the best talent in various fields, from architecture to lawyers to take our initiatives to a logical conclusion based upon the principles of Dharma, Nyaya, and Niti.
Adv. Abhishek Kumar
Ranchi, Jharkhand, India
B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) [2015-20]
National Law University, Delhi
Advocate, Bar Council of Delhi (2021)
NCPEDP-Javed Abidi Fellow on Disability (2021-24)
Adv. Abhishek Kumar is a law graduate from the National Law University, Delhi and registered as an Advocate with the Bar Council of Delhi. He's the ideator, founder, and curator of the initiative, 'The Sangyan', which works on the intersectionalities of the Law, Environment (Climate Change, Pollution and Biodiversity Loss), and Disability. He is presently engaged as an NCPEDP-Javed Abidi Fellow on Disability pursuing data-driven and evidence-based research, advocacy and campaign endeavours concerning the disproportionate impact of Climate Change on Persons with Disabilities among other vulnerable communities. He's empanelled as a research expert on climate change and disability on 'The Global South Climate Database' by Carbon Brief and Reuters Institute's Oxford Climate Journalism Network. I have been awarded with Jury Appreciation for the 15th NCPEDP-Mphasis Universal Design Awards 2024 under Role Model Persons with Disabilities and Diversability’s 5th Annual 2024 D-30 Disability Impact List Honoree.
He has engaged with various national and international platforms, including UN India, UNICEF NYHQ and Voices of Youth, UN Women India, COSP15, G20 India, 68th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, International Purple Fest Goa 2024, National Disability Network (India), Climate Justice-Just Transition Donor Collaborative, OP Jindal Global University, Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy, Rotary Bangalore Abilities, Social Workers in Disaster Risk Reduction (SWDRR), Muskaan PAEPID, NCPEDP, etc., to highlight the intersectionality of climate change and disability and advocated for disability-led and inclusive climate action strategies and plans.
He has also represented India at the the 18th International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change (CBA18) in Arusha, Tanzania as a Resource Person on “Climate Change, Disability and Accessibility” and at the G20 Brazil Youth Pre-Summit 2024 for the UNESCO MGIEP’s TAGᵉ: Youth .Climate. Emotions. - Talking Across Generations on Education's Panel Dialogue on "Climate Change Anxiety Among Youth and How it Can Be Tackled through Social Emotional Learning (SEL)" in Belém, Brazil.
He's advocating for the umbrella National Mission on Climate Change and Vulnerable Communities under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (2008) and running a campaign, 'Build Forward Better', to achieve it while mainstreaming climate change within the disability sector and vice versa. He carries out an interview and postcard series, 'Ulgualan Talks!', to document the life journey and lived experiences of persons with disabilities regarding the impacts of climate change on their lives. He has authored numerous articles and blogs ranging in various domains, including law, jurisprudence, environment, disability, wildlife, agriculture, culture, civilization, universal accessibility, etc. He has been advocating for the need for universal accessibility as an integral component for disability-led and inclusive climate action strategies and plans (SDG 13). He has drafted the Representation Petition for the Formation of National Mission on Climate Change and Vulnerable Communities under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, 2008.
He has contributed to Committee on the Rights of the Child’s General Comment № 26 (2023) on Children’s Rights and the Environment, with a Special Focus on Climate Change; Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities's General Comment on Persons with Disabilities in Situations of Risk and Humanitarian Emergencies; and UN India's Disability-Inclusive Indicators; and NCPEDP's Manifesto: For and By Citizens with Disabilities in India; among other policy initiatives. He has conducted an Access Audit of Sports Facilities in Ranchi, Jharkhand (India) to provide inputs for the NALSAR’s Centre for Disability Studies Report on Access Rights of Persons with Disabilities to the Supreme Court of India.
He co-authored a blog with Ar. Kavya Poornima Balajepalli on “Climate-Resilient and Accessible Architecture,” reflects upon the need to have an intersectional approach to climate-resilient and universal accessibility as we 'build forward better' to ensure disability-inclusive climate justice while leaving no one behind. The blog was part of the Digital Symposium on "Beyond Vulnerability: The Rights and Agency of People with Disabilities in the Climate Crisis", nested in the Bill of Health parent blog via Harvard Law School Project on Disability (HPOD), the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School, and the Disability-Inclusive Climate Action Research Programme (DICARP) at McGill Law Faculty. He also authored “We Need a Disability-led Climate Action” for UNICEF’s Voices of Youth.
As the ideator, founder, and curator of The Sangyan, he has co-drafted the 'Charter of Demands: Call to Action for Disability Justice' Petition, in collaboration with Poornamidam, as well as co-curated the related advocacy and campaign endeavours with the relevant authorities and stakeholders. Additionally, he has co-curated the 'Ink For Inclusion' Campaign with Poornamidam towards Climate-resilient, Universally Accessible, and All-Inclusive Elections as well as India. He has also co-drafted, “A Comprehensive Toolkit for Inclusive and Accessible Elections”, as part of the Ink for Inclusion Initiative.
He as a member of the 'Disability-Inclusive Climate Collaboration (India)', representing The Sangyan, co-drafted "A Call for Disability-inclusive Climate Action in India and Globally" along with Mariwala Health Initiative; National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People; Shanta Memorial Rehabilitation Center; Swadhikaar; Rising Flame; and Women with Disabilities India Network. He was also a cohort member of the Youth Climate Resilience Network 2023.
Life Events that helped realising Svadharma
There was no particular moment that made me work in the environment space but slow evolution conditioned by my Prakṛti (environment), Sanskriti (culture), Paramparā (heritage), Sanātana Darshan (Hindu viewpoint/perspective) and Sabhyata (Civilization). The value that made me work for environmental justice is Dharma (the right thing to do for a person’s moral and social obligations as an individual and as a member of society).
जगतःस्थितिकारणंप्राणिनांसाक्षात्अभ्युदयनिःश्रेयसहेतुर्यः स धर्मः । – (Śaṅkarācārya in his commentary on the Bhagavadgītā
[‘Dharma is that which accomplishes the three tasks of keeping the setup of the society in excellent condition, bringing about the worldly progress of every living being, and facilitating their progress in the spiritual realm as well (attaining Moksha).’]
About Self: Cricket gave me the mantra of "Trusting the Process", “Controlling the Controllables” and Keep Moving On! [Cricket being the microcosm of life]
[India lost to Australia in the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup, despite knowing the fact that Australia was a way better team than that of India. The loss initially didn’t go well with me, but slowly, the realization came regarding, firstly, looking at cricket among other things in life, not as the end of the world; things may or may not go as planned]
About the Worldly Affairs: Trekking in the Himalayas and Travelling across Bharat.
[Trekking In the Himalayas made me realize that no matter what we try to portray we cannot hide our true self. We cannot fake that we're fine, that we're not tired and need rest, and that we don't need support at times. And when we reach the summit, we still cannot hide our feeling of joy and ecstasy. Mountains are one of the few places where we feel that everyone can be themselves. No expectations, judgments, or cynicism. Just be ourselves because everyone else is. In the mountains, we are free to be whatever we are and this learning is crucial be it regarding disability or mental health].
About Dharma: Reading and watching Ramayan and Mahabharat [including Bhagwat Gita] followed by going for 14 days of Vipassana made me more aware of the Dharma and changed my outlook on life.
[In the summer of 2019, I attended a 14-day Vipassana in Jaipur (India) where I meditated all day long, kept maun vrat, and ate only satvik food, which not only made me come to peace with myself but also changed the vantage point of looking at things and approaching the life. Vipassana taught me to think more and talk less].
Contact Us
abhishek.ncpedp@gmail.com (Founder) thesangyan.in@gmail.com (Organization) Linktree: linktr.ee/sangyan