While traveling from Madras to Bhubaneswar at the Madras Central the railway superintendent asked that, my wheel chair be weighed along with my luggage. When I told him I needed it to be able to board the train and when getting down he finally allowed it after a prolonged argument and sit down strike. While traveling in the train a senior railway official again asked me as to why my wheel chair was in the compartment and not in the luggage van and at the next station it should be removed. We had to take up the issue at the highest government level for this small matter but enclosed the larger one of accessibility in trains and special berths for us on the lower level. This was the height of ignorance and insensitivity but it was the year 1985 since then we have come a long way now in the new millennium and there is greater awareness and understanding. Though there are miles to go. 

This incident in 1985 prompted me to set up an advocacy Programme in Orissa for the Rights of the Persons with disabilities and a Joint Forum of Persons with disabilities was formed. One major campaign which again merged into the National one was the push for a National Act. It was not easy and for nearly a decade many of us in India jointly and sometimes on our own promoted the cause. From 1985 to 1995 I fought at each level joining hand with many activists across India for a National Disability Act. In 1995 when it was passed, we launched a programme for its implementation. This was carried out in each District of the State. While we took the issue forward in Delhi, the Joint District Forum was formed to work at the State level to create awareness among the government officials, DPOs and persons with disabilities.