Wheelchair challenge to highlight inaccessible public spaces

The #metoocampaign and the #icebucketchallenge started conversation on sexual abuse and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS) respectively and this inspired Vijay to start something similar. “The success of these campaigns gave me the idea to start something for the wheelchair-bound. I have tagged celebrities like Kamal Haasan, Aamir Khan, Kalki Koechlin, Virat Kohli, PV Sindhu, Kiran Bedi, Shashi Tharoor, Naveen Jindal, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Nandan Nilekani and RJ Balaji. They are active on social media and if promoted by them, the initiative will catch momentum,” says Justin, a quadriplegic (paralysed from neck down). 

The challenge is to carry on with the day-today activities like going to the gym or playing a game, or visit a restaurant, while on a wheelchair. Participants can even venture into a market place or even try it out in their work space. “You can take help when you hit the stairs or narrow doors, but while doing so, pause and reflect how it stops our ‘everyday’ chores. Do o’t get off the wheelchair, till the #challenge is through. Because that’s something we can’t, even if we want,” states the challenge. 

It also asks participants to post a video and pass the challenge to five others. Though none of the celebrities have picked up the challenge, it has caught attention of many social media users. “Many social media users have reached out and accepted the challenge. It is to make people understand the challenges that they would never even think of. Change will come when there is a conversation and the collective voice reaches the decision makers.”