Disability Rights Activist Rajiv Rajan to Visit the United States on the Invitation of the U.S. Consulate General

March 20, 2009

Chennai: Well-known disability rights activist Mr. Rajiv Rajan has been invited by the U.S. Consulate General-Chennai to participate in a 2-week program on "Disability Rights and Issues" in the United States, where a thriving grassroots disability rights movement has pushed a revolution in access to public places, goods and services for persons with disabilities, especially since passage of the "Americans with Disabilities Act" in the 1990s.

Mr. Rajan will meet with these disability rights activists, NGOs, and relevant government agencies to discuss a range of disability rights issues including parenting children with disabilities, workplace integration of people with disabilities, educational services and training for people with disabilities and legal protections, enforcement strategies, and advocacy for people with disabilities. He will begin his U.S. visit in Washington D.C. and will subsequently travel to Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Atlanta.

Mr. Rajan is Coordinator of the Disability Legislation Unit of "Vidya Sagar" and recently won the prestigious 2009 CavinKare Ability Award on March 14, 2009. The Government of India also awarded him the 2007 "Role Model" National Award.

U.S. Consul General Andrew T. Simkin met Mr. Rajan in the Consulate on March 20th to wish him a safe and productive visit. Mr. Rajiv Rajan informed Consul General Simkin and other consulate officials that he is looking forward to his first trip to the U.S.