In June 2011, Mrunmaiy was traveling from Nagpur, India to Mumbai with her parents. A vehicular accident during that journey resulted in her sustaining injuries that left her with complete paralysis below her shoulders. Before Mrunmaiy’s accident, she was outgoing and independent. Heading out of the city on long drives whenever the occasion arose was a favourite pastime.

Now a wheelchair user, she still pursues her passion for travel, and weekends will often find her in a vehicle with family members heading out to explore. 

Mrunmaiy advises that most tourist attractions are not wheelchair accessible in India. Traveling with family and friends who can provide assistance with lifting your wheelchair is advisable. For her, this is fun, not only because she gets to explore places that she may not have been able to go to by herself, but the involvement of her family in these excursions means a great deal to her. “This is the only way I can explore new places”, she says.

The Taj Mahal is one of the few places where there are multiple ramps so a wheelchair user can navigate unassisted. 

In this story, Mrunmaiy shares her experience wheeling through the Taj Mahal