M. Karpagam, a visually impaired lawyer practising at the Madras High Court, has been selected for this year’s NCPEDP-Mphasis Javed Abidi Universal Design Award in the public policy and advocacy category.
She is the first visually impaired woman advocate who is actively practising, including arguing her cases, in the High Court, she says. Her journey has been fraught with challenges.
Ms. Karpagam was born with congenital glaucoma in both eyes. Her family moved from their native village near Ponneri in Tiruvallur district to Chennai for her treatment and education.
She is passionate about the rights of the disabled. She has filed several public interest litigation petitions, including those on accessibility in temples for the disabled and more recently on the need for shelter for the mentally challenged persons during the COVID-19 pandemic and the accountability in the Chief…