Devika Malik was born with hemiplegia, which causes paralysis to one side of the body. She has overcome the challenges of her disability to become an international para-athlete with 8 national & 3 international medals, a psychologist and co-founder of the Wheeling Happiness Foundation. The foundation promotes inclusion, disability sports, raises funds for people with disabilities and promotes better access and equality for those facing physical, emotional and social challenges. The foundation believes in the transformative power of sport and has helped over 50 persons with disabilities to become sportspersons, thereby focusing on abilities beyond disability and enabling self-reliance & emotional well-being. Devika is currently pursuing her PhD, the first Indian to be pursuing academic research (PhD) in the field of disability sports for women in India. Her efforts have been recognised nationally and internationally, this includes receiving the Queen’s Young Leaders Award from Queen Elizabeth II in London, having an audience with the Prime Minister of India and being a Speaker at the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018, in presence of 53 Heads of States and the British Royal Family
As a young person with disability working in the field of inclusion, I am very happy to support Include Me Too, as my organisation Wheeling Happiness also shares a similar vision. Include Me Too provides people with disabilities a platform for self-advocacy. I look forward to continue working with Include Me Too towards universal inclusion, integration and equal access to opportunities.
