"Rejected for my disability repeatedly, I decided to start something on my own. Aur kisi ki gulaami nahi karni thi (I did not want to serve anyone anymore)," says the girl who supports her family of seven.
The Sangam rehabilitates and empowers people with physical and mental impairments. In its three decades, it has embraced more than 330 villages in four blocks of Tirunelveli district, touching a population of over six lakh.
What went into scripting one of the greatest public health successes India has seen in recent years? We reached out to the grassroots to find the answers.