Pushkar Gulgule, 21, could not contain his excitement as he showed off his brand new learner's licence — the result of two years of struggle. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth, Pushkar had never felt any different from his peers in college. But that changed in 2016, when he applied for a driving licence. Instead of helping him to achieve his dream of independence, officials were rude and dismissive.

Being able to ride his scooter to college is an important step in independence for Pushkar. Like many 18-year-olds, he applied for a driving licence (DL). But the officer at the Andheri Regional Transport Office (RTO) was scathing in his rejection of the application. "When we went to apply for a licence, the RTO official said, 'Why are you leaving him to die?'" recalled Pushkar's father, Vinayak, as his hands trembled. "I was shocked, but we did not give up."