Debabrata Chakravarti

Mr. Chakravarti is Universal Design Consultant, Researcher and Resource Person for awareness raising workshops on Inclusive & Universal Design organized for several national and international organizations. He is subject expert on making pedestrian environment, transport infrastructure and public buildings, accessible for all. He has immense experience of working with centre for excellence and academic institutions such as Indian Institutes of Technology, National Institutes of Design, School of Planning & Architectures, etc. He is leading the Accessible India Campaign, Right to Sanitation and Violence Against Women Campaigns to mainstream marginalized groups and women with disabilities.

Education:

Diploma in Graphics Design, NIIT
Diploma in Printing Technology, Jadhavpur University
Bachelor of Commerce, University of Delhi

ACCESS AUDIT EXPERIENCE:

Over 7200 public buildings in the country since 2005
Lead Access Auditor, Accessible India Campaign- 5 cities: Pune, Chennai, Bhubaneshwar, Trivandrum and Raipur

INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATION:

2020 Workshop Co-organizer “Universal Accessibility”, 4 th World Conference on Shelters of Survivors of Violence, Taiwan
2018 Delegate, United Nations, Conference of State Parties, New York
2016 Co- organiser, accountABILITY: Advancing rights of women with disabilities, AWID Forum, Brazil
2016 Co-speaker, United Nations, Zero Project Conference on Schools for All, Vienna, Austria
2015 Speaker, Universal Accessibility, 3 rd World Conference, The Hague, Netherlands
2015 South Asian Feminist Regional Forum, Economic, Social & Cultural Rights, Colombo, Sri Lanka
2015 Delegate, Consultation of State Parties 8th Session (COSP8), the United Nations, New York
2015 Participant, Business for All, Association of Women with Disabilities, Almaty, Kazakhstan
2015, Observer, Working Group, Make The Right Real, Incheon Strategy, UN ESCAP, New Delhi, India
2014 Participant, The Transport Forum, Asian Development Bank, Manila, Philippines
2014 58th Session of CEDAW, UN Head Quarters, Geneva, Switzerland
2013 Member, India Delegation on Right to Sanitation Campaign in South Asia, Kathmandu, Nepal
2012 Co-authored papers, 13 th International Conference on Transport & Mobility for Elderly & the Disabled, New Delhi, India
2012 Resource Person and Organizer, Access for All Workshop, Colombo, Sri Lanka
2010 Scholarship Recipient, 12 th International Conference on Transport & Mobility for Elderly & the Disabled, Hong Kong
2009 Access Consultant for framing of Universal Design Guidelines for Refugee Camps and villages, Bangladesh

RESEARCH

2020-22 Co-researcher, Building Partnerships with Orgnaisations for People Disabilities (OPDs) in India and empowering the OPDs women leaders on SDGs, Sightsavers and European Union
2019 Co-researcher, Global Monitoring Report, UNESCO
2017-18 Schools for All, UNICEF and National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Government of India
2016 Urban Roads Manual, Indian Roads Congress
2014 Universal Accessibility in Walkability, Non Motorised Vehicles and Public Transport Usage
2013 Access Audit Reports of WASH Facilities for Persons with Disabilities, Jharkhand
2012 Anthropometric Study of Mobility Aid Users: India Specific
2010 Accessibility Research and Comparative Analysis of Building Standards & regulations (Building Bye-Laws) in various states of India
2012 “Research study on IRC: 103-1988 -Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities”, Indian Road Congress
2010 Action Oriented Research Project On Community Accessibility & Inclusion Audit
2008 “Research on Right of Way in Road & Street Infrastructure for Persons with Severe Disabilities”
2009 “Research & Design for Braille Registration plates and Audio Meters in TSR Auto Rickshaws”

Publications

2020-22 Co-author, Design Guidelines for Safer Commute to Schools, Indian Roads Congress
2019 Authored, Access for All Guidelines, Concise Version of National Building Code 2016 with American Indian Foundation
2018 Co-authored, IRC: SP:117-2018, Manual on Universal Accessibility for Urban Roads & Streets, Indian Roads Congress
2018 Co-authored, Urban Roads Manual, Indian Roads Congress
2016 Co-Authored Harmonized Guidelines And Space Standards for Barrier Free Built Environment for Persons with Disabilities and Elderly Persons, Ministry of Urban Development, GoI
2015 Co-Authored “Training Manual to promote Universal Design- Training of Trainers on Access Audits”, Third Edition, published by Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI)
2015 Handbook Air Travel: Sensitization and Training, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India
2015 Practitioner’s Manual on Inclusive WASH: Schools and Public Spaces, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India
2014 School Audit Toolkit, UNICEF
2014 Co-authored Universal Accessibility Guidelines for Pedestrian, Non-motorised Vehicles and Public Transportation
2014 Co-authored Universal Design Guidelines on Way finding and Signage, National Institute of Design, Samarthyam and Unnati
2014 Guidelines on Barrier free Environment in schools for children with disabilities
2014 Guidelines on Universal Design in Hospitals & Residential Facilities
Co-authored Guidelines on Space Standards for barrier Free Environment for disabled and Elderly, Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India
2013 Universal Design Toolkit on Public Transit Systems: Facilities & Services
2012 Co-authored IRC: 103 Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities for Indian Roads Congress,
Co-authored UTTIPEC Street Design Guidelines for Government of Delhi, India
Co-authored Access Advocacy Toolkit for VSO India, DFID and CBM
2006- 15 Technical Brochures on “Access for All” and “Internal & External Design Considerations”, for Professionals, Administrators and Planners, published by Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India; VSO, CBM, FICCI SEDF and Handicap International

Access Audit Workshop Co-ordinator

2021-2023 Training of Master Trainer for 26 states with UNICEF, UNESCAP and INGOs (ongoing)
2021 OPDs and Government Officers of Madhya Pradesh
2019 Disabled Persons Orgnaisations in 5 states of India – training on Gender Inclusion, and Advocacy Tools and Planning Strategies, Sightsavers India,
2018 Engineers, architects, and planners- Raipur Development Authority, Naya Raipur Development Authority, Public Works Department, Delhi, Odisha, Kerala and Chhattisgarh,
2016-18 UNICEF India, Training of Architects, Engineers and Planners for Inclusive and Accessible Schools in India,
2016 Sightsaver, Bhopal for civil engineers, architects, corporate and collector
2014-15 CBM (International NGO)
2012-14 Universal Design Training Workshops- 10 states of India for civil engineers, architects
2013 Sanitation for All, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar and Chennai
2010-12 Access for All workshops in 9 states of India covering 23 cities and districts and trained more than 6000 professionals, planners and persons with disabilities
2012 Unnati, Ahmadabad for 45 architects, interior designers and persons with disabilities
2011 Access for All workshop for IIT Bhubaneswar and BIT Mesra
2010 Unnati at Ahmadabad for 27 architects and interior designers
2009 National Trust, M/o SJE and BITS Mesra service providers, stake holders and persons with disabilities
2009 Dept of Social Welfare &O/o Commissioner for Persons w/Disabilities NCTD at New Delhi for 20 officers from PWD, NDMC, Health, Education, NGO
2009 Voluntary Services Overseas (International NGO) at New Delhi for 30 persons from all over India working with NGOs and DPOs
2009 CBM (International NGO) at Bangalore for 25 persons incl PwDs from all over India and Sri Lanka
2006 Mobility for All, 1 st National Conference on Accessible Transportation & Tourism

Access Co-ordinator For Training Workshops

(Disability Awareness/Experiential Exercise):

2016-23 Making Air Travel Accessible and Inclusive for Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airport Authority of India, Government of India
2016 Master Trainer, Accessible India Camping, CPWD Training Academy, Ghaziabad
2016-ongoing Government of Odisha, Jharkhand, Goa, West Bengal, Delhi, and Chattisgarh
2012 CPWD, Architects and Engineers, Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD), GoI
2011 CPWD, Architects and Engineers, MoUD
2010 CPWD, Architects and Engineers, MoUD
Centre for Science & Environment- Government officers, Urban Planners and Engineers
2009 CPWD, Architects and Engineers, Ghaziabad
IGNOU, Delhi Non-teaching Staff and Security Guards
Voluntary Services Overseas, New Delhi
Christopher Blind Mission (CBM), Bangalore
Deepshikha NGO, BIT Mesra, service providers, Ranchi
School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Delhi
2008 New Delhi Municipal Council: Architects and Engineers, Delhi
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi: Transport Planners, Professors and Researchers
Engineering Department, University of Delhi
CPWD, Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee