SHAZIA YOUSUF

The subject of disability remains largely ignored in the valley of Kashmir. It could be understood from the fact that the latest official data still comes from the 2011 Census. According to that outdated record, at least 361,153 people in Jammu and Kashmir live with some form of disability, which roughly amounts to 3 percent of the population.

It is understandable that this 14-year-old data no longer reflects the reality on the ground. That is why various research studies and surveys by NGOs and government agencies suggest that the number has significantly grown in the last one and a half decades. Countless disabled people remain uncounted, especially in remote areas, due to lack of access, poor infrastructure, and the social stigma attached to the word.

Even if we go by t

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