World Blind Union

Mr. Santosh Kumar Rungta is the President of the World Blind Union and has contributed immensely to the disability movement both at national level in India and at global level for last 50 years.  At national level he holds the office of General Secretary National Federation of the Blind since 1978 which is the largest mass based self-help organization of the Blind in India.  He is instrumental to the enactment on the rights of persons with disabilities in India and also in path breaking policy shift in the area of education, employment and accessibility both in India and at International level. By profession a senior advocate, Mr. Rungta has been well recognized in legal fraternity in India and is responsible for many landmark judgments in different fields including on the rights of persons with disabilities. His advocacy and judicial activism resulted into opening the doors of employment for blind and other persons with disabilities at all levels in the Govt. and Public sector including the highest civil services cadres.  So far his activism has ensured employment to more than hundred thousand persons with disabilities in India in different sectors including administrative, banking, railways, education etc. He has also actively participated in the initiatives of UN ESCAP during successive decades of disabled persons from 1993 onwards. He took active part in the deliberations of the UN Adhoc committee which was constituted for drafting and negotiating the convention with the Member countries and civil society. He is representing WBU in IDA General Assembly as primary representative.