Sabriye Tenberken

A light blue gradient background with navy blue text has “The D-30 Disability Impact List” at the top centered above “2025 Honoree” which is in between two laurels. Below, text “Sabriye Tenberken (she/her), India” are to the left of a picture of them, which fills the right. At the bottom left corner is text “Diversability, #D30DisList”.

Sabriye Tenberken

She/her/hers

Co-founder and Director, kanthari & Braille Without Borders

India

Sabriye Tenberken is a blind social innovator and founder of kanthari, a leadership institute in Kerala, India, that equips marginalized individuals—especially disabled people—with the tools to launch social impact projects. She created Tibetan Braille as a student and in 1998 opened the first school for the blind in Tibet. Since 2009, kanthari has trained 303 leaders from 57 countries, who’ve collectively launched over 200 organizations supporting marginalized communities. In 2024, kanthari trained 24 new fellows from 12 countries, including disabled leaders. Sabriye’s work has been recognized globally, earning the Martin Buber Plaque, Gandhi International Award, and knighthood from the Dutch Queen. Blind since age 12, she continues to inspire a generation of inclusive changemakers.