Mr. Javed Abidi, a globally known disability rights activist passed away on 4 March 2018 in his hometown New Delhi. He was 53. Mr. Abidi was the Director of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) and also the Global Chair of Disabled People International (DPI), the first global international organization of persons with disabilities with an ECOSOC consultative status to the United Nations.
He promoted accessibility for persons with disabilities in public facilities and transport and his strong advocacy was instrumental in the passing of the Persons with Disability Act in India in 2016.