Virali Modi[1] (born 29 September 1991) is a disability rights activist and motivational speaker from India.[2] She spent much of her youth in the United States, but after a visit to India she entered a coma due to contracting malaria.[3] She survived, but could no longer walk.[4] She came second in the Miss Wheelchair India contest in 2014 and as a result gathered a large following on social media.[1] She began a Change.org petition titled "Implement Disabled Friendly Measures in Indian Railways."[5] Her efforts to make railways more accessible landed her in "100 Women (BBC)" for 2017.[6] She has given multiple TEDx talks on her experiences and struggles due to her disability.[7][8][9] She has started campaigns to promote accessibility for disabled individuals one titled #MyTrainToo which she began in 2017 as well as another titled #RampMyRestaurant.[5]
