After a Life-Changing Injury, This Man Is Fixing Footpaths, Buildings & Public Spaces for Access |
One morning, the city Prateek Khandelwal had always moved through with ease suddenly shut its doors on him.
A short flight of steps. A narrow doorway. A washroom he could not enter. After a spinal cord injury in his 20s took away his ability to walk, everyday spaces began sending a clear message: this city was not built for him.
Cities promise freedom — to move, work, learn, and belong. For millions of people, they do the opposite. Accessibility is often treated as a special add-on, rather than a basic part of urban life. For Prateek, this gap was no longer abstract. It shaped every decision he made outside his home.
Overnight, he lost more than mobility. His career paused, relationships shifted, and the........