TRUTIYA RATNA · STORIES OF IMPACT
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Sunil: From an Accountant's Desk to Disability Inclusion at Azim Premji University
A first-generation learner from a flood-prone district of Bihar, and a wheelchair user who once found it hard to imagine leaving home — now works to make higher education more accessible for others like him.
Sunil comes from a small district in Bihar that floods almost every year when the Koshi River rises. His parents are small farmers who also work as daily-wage agricultural labourers. He is the first person in his family, and his village, to pursue higher education — growing up with very little information or guidance about what paths were even available to him.
Sunil is a wheelchair user, and for a long time, simply imagining life beyond his home and immediate surroundings felt out of reach — made harder by a family that was, understandably, deeply protective of him. Slowly, he began to trust himself and build the confidence to step outside his comfort zone.
“This journey taught me that confidence, support, and access to the right opportunities can make a significant difference in a person’s life.”
In 2021, Sunil connected with Trutiya Ratna, which supported him in preparing for entrance examinations and, just as importantly, helped him build the confidence to think seriously about higher education beyond his local area. In 2022, he joined the Trutiya Ratna team itself as an Accountant and Administrative Staff member — a role that let him earn and learn at the same time while continuing to prepare.
Weekly team meetings and guest lectures on education, social inequality, and the barriers faced by marginalised communities shaped how he came to think about inclusion. When he was selected for his master’s programme, Trutiya Ratna supported him with university fees and other expenses — helping him complete an MA in Development Studies at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru. He arrived on campus as its first wheelchair-using student, and the university provided him an electric wheelchair to help him navigate it independently.
Today, Sunil works as an Associate in the Office of Disability Inclusion at Azim Premji University, supporting other students with disabilities and contributing to building a more accessible campus. His long-term goal is a PhD abroad, with a continuing focus on disability inclusion, accessible education, and empowering people with disabilities through art and craft — particularly those from rural and underserved communities like his own.
Outside his work, Sunil makes decorative and useful objects from waste material, aiming to reduce plastic waste and promote sustainable practices — and works as a wheelchair photographer, documenting everyday life from the seated perspective he knows best. “A special thanks to Sunita and Prasann Di,” he says, “who have always supported and encouraged me throughout my journey.”