Divyanshu Ganatra

Divyanshu lost his eyesight to glaucoma at the age of 19. A severe bout of tuberculosis almost had doctors declare him dead. As he was working to get his life back on track, he got a earful of free advice from well-wishers and rehabilitation counsellors: “Your life is over.” “You can only stay at home now.” “Since you are blind, you can only make cane furniture or chalk now.”

Divyanshu soon found that his blindness or health struggles were not a problem. It was people’s attitudinal barriers and their stereotypes that tried to tell him that he could no longer do what he wanted to do—learn computers or make a career in IT, study psychology and pursue his Masters in Cognitive Neuroscience, or follow his love for adventure and the outdoors. He did not allow the world to decide what he could or could not do. Fast forward to today, Divyanshu continues to shatter stereotypes and prejudices, turning every adversity into an opportunity to emerge as one of India’s most successful people in the fields of IT, diversity and inclusion, and behavioural facilitation. His love for sport and the outdoors also led him to found the Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation (ABBF)—a non-profit that promotes inclusion through adventure sports for people with and without disability.

Divyanshu today works closely with the leadership of top global companies to help them and their teams push their boundaries, challenge themselves and think beyond the “possible”. He does this by bringing lessons from his life experiences and extreme adventures to boardrooms, weaving insightful, humorous and transformative stories on how individuals and organizations can lead with passion and purpose. He challenges every individual’s core beliefs, and inspires and challenges audiences around the world to reimagine possibilities and shift their mindsets to transform into the best versions of themselves.

His path-breaking work in the field of cognitive neuroscience, many successful stints as an entrepreneur, rich adventure experiences and commitment to building an inclusive world make him a speaker unlike any other. Needless to say, such a power-packed individual has attracted quite some attention. Divyanshu has been covered extensively by some of the world’s most popular media—BBC, The Times of India, The Hindu, CNN[1]IBN, CNBC, Star Plus, Condé Nast Traveller, Huffington Post and more. As a speaker, Divyanshu will push you to ask yourself the questions that really matter:

• How can you mould your beliefs to bring out the best in yourself?
• What can you do to partake of a happier, healthier life?
• How can you set goals to achieve excellence no matter what the circumstances?

Divyanshu’s most notable accomplishments include:

• India’s first blind solo pilot
• India’s first blind tandem cyclist to cycle from Manali to Khardung La—the highest motorable road in the world
• First blind Indian to summit Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa—the world’s tallest freestanding mountain
• Touched the lives of over 50 million people across the world
• Speaker at leading TedX events
• Guest faculty at multiple IITs, IIMs and universities in the US
• Inclusion ambassador for governments in India and abroad