DEPwD to host national conference in Bengaluru on AI for disability inclusion
Organised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the event will bring together government officials, researchers, and technologists.
On May 30, Bengaluru will host a national conference focused on harnessing artificial intelligence in an attempt to improve accessibility and inclusion for persons with disabilities (PwDs).
Organised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, in partnership with the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India, the event will bring together policymakers, technologists, researchers and entrepreneurs working in the assistive technology space.
Titled ‘AI for Empowering Persons with Disabilities’, the conference will see the launch of several flagship initiatives, including Mission AI Accessibility, a broad effort to enhance digital inclusivity across platforms; Mission AI: Implementation of AI in Assistive Technology and Tools for Empowering PwDs, which focuses on deploying AI to design and scale assistive solutions; the National Disability Support AI Chatbot, a virtual support interface offering information and guidance to users with disabilities; and the Unified Benefits Interface (UBI), aimed at simplifying access to entitlements and government schemes.
Senior officials and researchers, including DEPwD Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal, Professor PVM Rao from IIT Delhi, and Professor Venu Govindaraju from the University at Buffalo, USA, will deliver keynote addresses.
The event will feature panel discussions exploring the role of AI in building an inclusive India, with speakers from institutions such as AIIMS, IIT, OpenAI, and private sector firms including Microsoft and Lenovo. The event will also feature experience-sharing sessions by entrepreneurs and individuals who have benefitted from assistive technologies.
In addition, tech startups and global innovators will demonstrate AI-driven tools designed to support persons with visual, hearing, and mobility impairments. The day will conclude with a cultural performance by Miracles on Wheels and an open Q&A session. DEPwD Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal will deliver the closing remarks, outlining the ministry’s strategic roadmap for inclusive technology adoption.
The conference is a part of the government’s broader efforts to mainstream assistive technology and promote inclusive innovation through AI-driven solutions, the organisers noted.
Edited by Kanishk Singh