Not just for himself, but also for people with visual impairment, people with locomotor issues, people with deafness, people with neurological diseases, well, people with disabilities (PwDs).
(HT PHOTO)While studying, Akashdeep realised that he could not access huge amounts of online information available to others.
And so, in July 2023, Akashdeep launched his startup, SaralX, whose goal is to make all digital platforms accessible to people with disabilities.
So, what did it take to set up a company that would provide digital accessibility to PwDs?
As an early-stage startup running on grants, the company is yet to recoup its investment.
When Akashdeep was 10 years old, he complained about not being able to see in the dark. The doctor’s diagnosis – retinitis pigmentosa – presaged a bleak future for him. It meant that he would eventually lose his eyesight over the years. While this can be devastating news, Akash moved through life with acceptance and determination to make his life better. So, what if he would lose his sight? He still could make life work for him. And he did. Not just for himself, but also for people with visual impairment, people with locomotor issues, people with deafness, people with neurological diseases, well, people with disabilities (PwDs). Akashdeep, founder of SaralX. (HT PHOTO)
While studying, Akashdeep realised that he could not access huge amounts of online information available to others. That propelled him to further enroll at IIT Delhi for a Masters in Optical Fibre Communication and later switched to Assistive Technology “because I knew what was going to happen to me. During my BTech, I started using Assistive Technology, and during my PhD, I was looking at how to make educational material accessible for the blind”.
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During his doctorate, he also took the initiative to set up the Office of Accessible Education (OAE) at IIT Delhi, which serves the needs of students with disabilities on campus. This led to his interactions with people with different disabilities and he got a deeper understanding of their needs. And so, in July 2023, Akashdeep launched his startup, SaralX, whose goal is to make all digital platforms accessible to people with disabilities.
“Take a look at any app or any digital platform. How many are designed in ways that a person who cannot use his hands, or hear, or speak, or can’t see, or has a learning disability or autism can access it? Globally 3-4% apps are usable by persons with disabilities, even fewer in India. Don’t they have a right to access, availing benefits, and participation? But how can one do that if information is not accessible?”
According to multiple reports, including UN and WHO, PWDs have $8-13 trillion disposable income. Globally, minimum 15% of people have some form of disability, which is more than 2 billion, and in India, it is minimum 10% approximately. So, what did it take to set up a company that would provide digital accessibility to PwDs? It requires perseverance and determination because most people are unaware of the needs of PwDs. Even simple questions like how can a person with blindness use a mobile phone/laptop? How can a person with deafness enjoy video content? How can a person without hands operate a mobile phone/laptop? This requires a lot of awareness at the leadership team of corporates and universities and then propagating it across the entire organisation. It isn’t just an awareness battle. It’s an all-out war where you deal with awareness, then you hit the wall of willingness, which is missing, and then of course, fighting amid conflicting business priorities.
SaralX aims to make all digital platforms and content accessible to PwDs.
“This means if a blind person wants to plan a holiday, they should be able to book their hotels, flights, trains, or cars, meals - everything on any travel site. If a hearing-impaired person wishes to watch a film on any OTT platform, subtitles should be provided. If a person with paralysis is traveling, he should be able to know in advance which transport can provide wheelchair access. As of now, hardly 1% in my opinion of Indian digital platforms have this sensitivity,” he said.
To set up this company, Akashdeep got a grant from YouthCoLab (a joint project of UNDP India, Atal Innovation Mission, and Citi Foundation) of ₹4 lakh that helped him with operating expenses. He has a team of eight people who work on all aspects. Akashdeep said, “I want to transform this space through technological innovations.”
As of now, this requires a lot of manual efforts.
One would assume that a startup like this would pull at the social responsibility strings of any corporate, but sadly that is not so. “In our experience, only about 2%-3% of the companies we pitch to are ready to undertake accessibility as their priority.” Digital accessibility has multiple imperatives from ethical, reputational, legal to business. “During our interactions with corporates, we sensitise them by making them aware that minimum 10% of the Indian population and 2 billion people globally cannot access your offering because you are not accessible to them. If that does not work, then we show the business potential by referring to various reports by leading agencies like Accenture and World Bank, which clearly show the upsides of accessibility in profitability, revenue growth, employee satisfaction, brand reputation, search engine optimisation, and user satisfaction. That helps to a great degree,” he said.
As of now, SaralX has nine customers, starting with MakeMyTrip and Ashoka University. Their job involves testing the entire app with various assistive technologies and making sure that it adheres to the requirements prescribed in IS17802 standards by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
SaralX is also helping universities ensure that their admission process and study material are accessible to persons with disabilities.
The C-T-C of accessibility
Though it depends on the company’s business model and how elaborate their digital platform is, for a large size B2C company having their entire business through the app can range from ₹5- ₹10 lakh. Considering this, this can be driven in a phased manner with awareness and sensitisation across the organisation. Even most of the companies internationally first focus on making their core flows accessible to persons with disabilities. SaralX’s clients include Crisil, Azim Premji University, Insurance Samadhan, and IIT Delhi. As an early-stage startup running on grants, the company is yet to recoup its investment. Akashdeep remains optimistic about its prospects.
“In March, we participated and won the first runner-up at the BizQuotient organised by TiE Pune. With this support, SaralX is actively investing in technological innovations to transform this space to make sure that the entire digital world is inclusive. It may take time, but sooner or later, companies will have to fall in line with the law if not now. The 2016 law on the Rights of People with Disabilities mandates that all corporates must be accessible to all PWDs.”
Well, if God shut the door with retinitis pigmentosa for him, Akash opened the window wide to let it shine on every person with a disability.
