Early Life & Education
Dr. Rajinder Johar was born on 19 January 1948 in Jalandhar, Punjab, into a family deeply committed to serving the nation — his father was a part of the Armed Forces. From an early age, Dr. Johar carried a sense of duty and purpose that would come to define his entire life's work.
He completed his Bachelor's in Occupational Therapy from Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya National Institute for Persons with Physical Disabilities. Armed with his education, he went on to work as an Occupational Therapist at King George's Medical College, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh — a position he held for 20 remarkable years.
The Turning Point
In 1986, Dr. Johar suffered a severe injury to his cervical spine that rendered him a quadriplegic and bed-ridden for life. Faced with this devastating crossroads, he had two options: succumb to the condition and lead a passive existence, or summon every reserve of strength and fight back with purpose.
He chose to fight. Three forces guided that decision:
1. Time to Think: Being bedridden gave him plenty of time to plan and envision a comprehensive rehabilitation framework for people at the crossroads of disability.
2. Professional Knowledge: His academic background in occupational therapy gave him the tools to execute these plans with rigour and expertise.
3. Lived Experience: Twenty years of rehabilitating others, combined with five years of his own disabling condition, gave him a profound, unmatched empathy and determination.
Founding Family of Disabled
In 1992, with nothing but conviction and a handmade writing device strapped to his wrist — one his brother helped him fashion because nothing suitable existed in the market — Dr. Johar wrote a letter to Mother Teresa seeking her blessings to start the organisation. She responded promptly and wholeheartedly. Family of Disabled was born.
Dr. Johar used to tie this indigenous writing device to his wrist and employed his shoulder movements to write. That very device was the instrument with which he reached out to Mother Teresa and, through her blessing, launched a movement that would touch over 50,000 lives.
A Life of Unstoppable Giving
Though physically cut off from the outside world, Dr. Johar was able to reach out and touch the hearts of countless disabled people and their families. He was always accessible to those he served, right until his last breath.
His strength lay in an unshakeable conviction and an absolute dedication to his cause. His untiring efforts to utilise every second — to support, motivate, and establish disabled people in meaningful livelihoods — remains unparalleled in India's disability rights movement.
His Legacy
Dr. Rajinder Johar passed away on 1 February 2018. Though he is no longer physically present among us, he continues to inspire millions with the extraordinary life he led. The team he built — the volunteers, supporters, well-wishers, and staff — continues to carry his vision forward, guided by the training and values he instilled.
We strongly believe he is with us in spirit, guiding and blessing the organisation as we carry his grand legacy into the future.