Born in Belgaum in 1970 and losing his sight at six months, Mahantesh G Kivadasannavar faced rejection from local schools until a perceptive inspector helped him enroll at a Bangalore academy for the blind. He completed ten years of schooling in six, went on to earn an MPhil in English, and even taught at the University of North Carolina.

In 1997, he co-founded Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled to bridge gaps in education and employment for disabled individuals. What started modestly has now transformed into one of India’s largest inclusion-focused nonprofits supporting over 22,000 students, training 55,000 individuals, and placing more than 35,000 in jobs through its Livelihood Resource Centre.

Samarthanam also revitalized the blind cricket movement in India, turning it into a national vehicle for pride and empowerment. Under Mahantesh’s leadership, the Indian blind cricket team has won multiple T20 and ODI World Cups and an Asia Cup, while over 30,000 blind players participate across state associations.

Through inclusive schools, job training, sports, and assistive tech, Mahantesh is building systems that offer genuine opportunity not charity. His vision now extends to establishing a global inclusive university and accessible sports city in Bengaluru.