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What does it truly mean to be recognised by the state, and what are the perilous consequences for minority populations when they are left out of the data that shapes public policy?
In this episode of Conversation Changers, host Eric Olander explores the urgent intersection of technology, data, and human rights. As big data, AI, and machine learning increasingly dictate who holds power, marginalised communities, particularly people with disabilities, face a growing risk of digital and systemic exclusion.
Joining the conversation from New Delhi is Shameer Rishad, a Salzburg Global Fellow and the founder of the Javed Abidi Foundation. Rishad is leading vital initiatives to challenge societal perceptions of disability in India, advocating for a shift from a historical model of charity and sympathy to one rooted firmly in human rights and empathy.
From the structural hurdles of the upcoming 2027 Indian census to the political mechanics of "vote banks," this episode offers a striking look at the battle for visibility. Rishad reveals how a lack of localised data directly translates into a denial of healthcare, education, and basic infrastructure, explaining why being counted is the first essential step toward real political representation.
Chapters
00:00 Technology, Power, and the Arbiters of Data
01:42 What It Means to Be Counted by the State
02:55 The Mechanics and History of the Indian Census
07:12 The Missing Budgets and Training Manuals
09:22 Political "Vote Banks" and the Power of Collectivisation
13:09 The Compounding Consequences of Data Exclusion
17:41 Civil Society, Bureaucracy, and Public Interest Litigations
22:05 Looking Ahead to 2027: Realism vs. Optimism
24:41 Shifting the Narrative: From Sympathy to Empathy
About The Guest: Shameer Rishad
Shameer Rishad is a Salzburg Global Fellow and the founder of the Javed Abidi Foundation based in New Delhi, India. Inspired by the legacy of his late uncle, the pioneering disability rights activist Javed Abidi, Shameer leads grassroots and national-level initiatives dedicated to challenging societal perceptions of disability. Through advocacy, media engagement, and legal action, he works tirelessly to transition disability narratives from a framework of charity to one of human rights, ensuring that marginalised populations are accurately enumerated, politically represented, and legally protected.
Follow Shameer Rishad on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shameer-rishad-7594ab1b3/
Find out more about https://www.linkedin.com/company/javed-abidi-foundation/
About The Host: Eric Olander
Eric Olander is a veteran journalist and media executive with over 30 years of experience reporting for world-leading organisations including CNN, France 24, and the BBC World Service. He is a Salzburg Global Fellow and the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The China-Global South Project, an independent media initiative exploring global engagement with the developing world.
Follow Eric Olander on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olander/
Find out more about Salzburg Global: https://www.salzburgglobal.org/
