Nearly two-thirds of people with disabilities in India unemployed; hesitancy among firms to blame

MANY FIRMS NOT FORTHCOMING WITH HIRING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

At Cafe Arpan, for instance, all its employees have disabilities. It was opened in 2018 by a non-governmental organisation. 

The cafe’s co-founder Ashaita Mahajan said companies are often reluctant to hire people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, partly because of a lack of awareness and understanding.

Individuals with disabilities such as autism, Down’s syndrome or cerebral palsy deserve opportunities in normal society, said Ms Ashaita, managing trustee at Yash Charitable Trust. 

“They deserve to be able to work. They deserve to be able to have a social life.”

Among the workers at Cafe Arpan, which means “offering” in Hindi, is greeter and server Aarti Nagarkar, who has autism. 

The condition affects her speech and motor skills, but she is still able to carry out her role and loves meeting people through her work. 

For her, work has become part of her routine. 

“I do ‘namaste’ to people,” she said, referring to the greeting. “And I greet, and I say, ‘Welcome to Cafe Arpan’.”