Bangalore, Sept 2, 2025 - AssisTech Foundation (ATF), India’s pioneering Assistive Technology ecosystem enabler, proudly welcomes Dr. (h.c.) Deepa Malik, Padma Shri, Khel Ratna, and Arjuna Awardee, to its Board of Directors. With this strategic move, ATF reinforces its commitment to empowering Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) by leveraging technology innovation, policy advocacy, and inclusive leadership.

A decorated athlete and trailblazer in India’s disability rights movement, Dr. Deepa Malik is the country’s first female Paralympic medalist, a Limca Book of Records holder, and former President of the Paralympic Committee of India. She also serves as the South Asia Representative of the Asian Paralympic Committee and is a member of the Disability Advisory Board, Government of Uttar Pradesh.

Speaking on her appointment, Dr. Deepa Malik said, “Inclusion must move beyond accessibility to become an integrated aspect of innovation and nation-building. I am honoured to join ATF’s board and contribute to its work in scaling Assistive Technologies, nurturing disability-led entrepreneurship, and creating sustainable impact.” (suggestive)

Her appointment to ATF’s Board comes at a pivotal time as the foundation works to mainstream disability innovation and accelerate its integration into India’s broader technological and entrepreneurial ecosystem. Dr. Malik’s strategic vision will be invaluable in shaping policy engagement, increasing public awareness around Assistive Technologies, and positioning AT as a key enabler of disability inclusion. She will help foster inclusive conversations across sectors such as sports, education, livelihoods, and digital infrastructure, while championing innovation and entrepreneurship to build scalable solutions for national development.

Prateek Madhav, Co-founder and CEO of AssisTech Foundation, shared, “We are honoured to welcome Dr. Deepa Malik to ATF’s Board. Her unparalleled contributions to empowerment of Persons with Disability, combined with her national and global leadership, will be instrumental in furthering ATF’s mission. With her guidance, we hope to amplify disability-led change, foster inclusive tech ecosystems, and unlock new opportunities for AT startups in India.”

This milestone aligns with ATF’s ongoing mission to build India’s most expansive ecosystem for Assistive Technology (AT) innovation with a goal to impact 5 million Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) by 2030. To date, ATF has supported over 500 startups, reached more than 1 million PwDs, and continues to shape inclusive narratives at the intersection of technology and accessibility.

About AssisTech Foundation

AssisTech Foundation (ATF) is India’s first Assistive Technology (AT) ecosystem enabler that focuses on empowering Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) by enabling Learning, Livelihood, and Living opportunities (3Ls of Empowerment). ATF does it by harnessing the power of AT and supporting the development of innovative technology products and services. In a span of 6 years, ATF has impacted the lives of over 1 million Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) through its high-impact programs and initiatives and has established a network of over 500 AT Startups in the country. ATF is accelerating 54 AT Startups as a part of the portfolio, who have collectively developed 110+ AT products and secured over 50 patents.