Denied School re-entry at 13, Pratik now helps others step out fearlessly

At 13, Pratik Shingare’s view of Pune changed after a road accident left him with multiple fractures and dependent on a wheelchair. Simple barriers — a step at an entrance, a narrow doorway, an unusable washroom — began deciding where he could go.

Even returning to school became uncertain after his school refused readmission, citing risks from his osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease.“I was heartbroken,” Pratik says. “There were no provisions for students like me.”

Now 14, he has turned that experience into Stairless Journey. The initiative verifies and maps accessible spaces across Pune, Goa, and Kolkata so people with disabilities can plan visits with less fear. Each location is tested for entry, movement, seating, and washroom access.

In just over a year, more than 50 locations have been mapped. The project runs on Instagram and LinkedIn, with a website in development. It has just over 100 followers, mostly wheelchair users, caregivers and disability advocates.

“Whenever I feel like going out, I just browse their page and pick a place,” said one wheelchair user. “StairlessJourney gave me the freedom to go wherever I want, whenever I want.”

During his recovery at home, Pratik turned to writing and art. In January 2025 he published Where Hope Begins, a book of poems and reflections from that period. He is also planning to continue studies through open schooling after his drop year.

“During my long isolation at home after the accident, I decided not just to heal, but to help others find freedom too,” he says.