Ar. Kavya Poornima Balajepalli

Headshot of a woman with long hair, wearing a saree and glasses, smiling at the camera.

Ar. Kavya Poornima Balajepalli, She/her/hers

Architect, Researcher & Advocate for Universal Accessibility | Founder & Curator, Poornamidam and IIH Warriors India, India

Ar. Kavya Poornima Balajepalli is a blind architect, researcher, and disability justice advocate from Visakhapatnam, India, advancing universal accessibility, inclusive design, climate resilience, and patient advocacy. Through Poornamidam and IIH Warriors India, she works at the intersection of disability, architecture, education, public policy, and health equity. Over the past year, Kavya co-presented the framework “Universally Accessible Education for Inclusive Climate Action” at the ClimatEd Summit 2025, contributed accessibility expertise to state-level policy frameworks and technical standards, and led accessibility audits supporting the report “Finding Sizes for All,” submitted to the Supreme Court of India. Her work also advances visibility for people with rare and invisible diseases through research, campaigns, and community engagement. By bringing lived experience and professional expertise together, Kavya challenges systems that exclude disabled people and advocates for more equitable participation across society. She received the 15th NCPEDP-Mphasis Universal Design Award in 2024, among other recognitions, for her contributions to accessibility and inclusive design.