NAB India Centre for Blind Women and Disability Studies

What NAB India Centre for Blind Women and Disability Studies does

NAB India Centre for Blind Women and Disability Studies is a New Delhi-based non-profit organization established in 2002 as a unit of the National Association for Blind India, delivering vocational training, rehabilitation, and employment placement services exclusively to visually impaired women in India. Its portfolio comprises five primary vocational tracks — Customer Care Executive training (5 months), Discovering Hands Medical Tactile Examiner certification (9 months including clinical internship), Blind Bake Cafe culinary training, Ujjwala Handicraft and packaging (3 months), and Talking Hands spa therapy (3 months) — supplemented by holistic life-support modules covering mobility, Braille literacy, counseling, grooming, and higher-education enablement. The organization also operates social enterprises (Blind Bake Cafe outlets, Talking Hands clinic, Ujjwala e-commerce) that double as both training labs and income-generating vehicles.

The underlying service model is human-led rehabilitation rather than technology-led automation: the center leverages the enhanced tactile acuity of blind women as a vocational asset, most visibly through the Discovering Hands program, which NAB India Centre introduced to Asia under license from Discovering Hands Germany. The training infrastructure is anchored at the Hauz Khas Enclave headquarters in South Delhi (which includes residential facilities for trainees) and is replicated through corporate-campus cafe outlets at the Taj Mahal Hotel Delhi, TCS Mumbai, and TCS Siruseri Chennai.

The organization is funded primarily through donations (tax-exempted under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act), corporate CSR partnerships, and government grants, with training delivered at no cost to beneficiaries. Distribution runs through two complementary channels: direct employment placement into partner enterprises across banking, IT/BPO, hospitality, healthcare, and manufacturing, and self-operated social enterprises (cafes, therapy clinic, handicraft e-commerce). Outreach spans 22 Indian states via the parent NAB India network, and the organization cites a cumulative rehabilitation reach of more than 500 beneficiaries against an addressable population of approximately 15 million blind women in India.

Name

NAB India Centre for Blind Women and Disability Studies

Legal name

NAB India Centre for Blind Women & Disability Studies

Website

https://nabcentreforwomen.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Rehabilitation and Vocational Training Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Computer Training (611420), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Accessibility & Special Needs Equipment (Assistive Devices, Adaptive Furniture, Sensory Rooms) (EDAEAIAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

AT Implementation, Coaching & Professional Development (Teachers/Staff) (EDAKAIAI), Computer Access & Alternative Input (Switch, Eye Gaze, Head/Mouse, Keyboards) (EDAKAIAD)

Keywords

• Vocational training programs
• Disability rehabilitation services
• Employment placement services
• Assistive technology training
• Social enterprise cafe

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NAB India Centre provides free vocational training, rehabilitation, and employment placement services exclusively for visually impaired women in India. Programs include Customer Care Executive training, Discovering Hands Medical Tactile Examiner certification, Blind Bake Cafe culinary training, Ujjwala Handicraft production, and Talking Hands Spa Therapist training. The organization also operates social enterprise cafes and therapy clinics that double as training and employment venues for beneficiaries.

Product overview

NAB India Centre for Blind Women and Disability Studies is a nonprofit rehabilitation and training organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs for visually impaired women. The organization provides training programs (Customer Care Executive, Discovering Hands, Blind Bake Cafe, Ujjwala Handicraft, Talking Hands), support services (Wholistic Life Support, Grooming, Talk, Healthy Living), and employment facilitation (Job Board, Transform). Key initiatives include Blind Bake Cafe social enterprise for culinary training, Discovering Hands for Medical Tactile Examiner certification, and various vocational skill programs. The center operates as a unit of National Association for Blind India, established in 2002, and is the only center in India conducting job mapping studies for visually impaired women.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Customer Care Executive Training A 5-month training program for visually impaired women covering computer skills, JAWS screen reader proficiency, MS Office applications, internet usage, English communication, and reception handling for roles in BPOs, call centers, and front desks.
• Discovering Hands Medical Tactile Examiner Training A 9-month Tactile Breast Examination (TBE) training program that trains visually impaired women as Medical Tactile Examiners (MTE) to detect early signs of breast cancer using enhanced tactile senses, capable of identifying lumps as small as 0.5 cm. Includes 6 months theoretical and practical training plus 3 months clinical internship.
• Blind Bake Cafe Training and Social Enterprise A fully-equipped cafe managed independently by visually impaired women, offering training in home science and cafe management. Serves burgers, salads, pasta, pizza, soup, cakes, muffins, and traditional snacks. Operates at Hauz Khas center, Taj Mahal Hotel Delhi, TCS Mumbai, and TCS Siruseri Chennai.
• Ujjwala Handicraft Training A 3-month handicraft and packaging training course for visually impaired women covering needlework, weaving, making handicraft items, and garment packaging. Products include coasters, boxes, pen holders, jewelry, Rakhi, potlis, and packaged garments, sold via www.ujjwala.org.
• Talking Hands Spa Therapist Training A 3-month training program for Assistant Spa Therapist roles in the beauty and wellness sector. Covers oil massage therapy, dry massage therapy, foot reflexology, and Japanese Medical Manual Therapy (JMMT) for pain-relieving treatments.
• Job Board and Employment Placement Service Employment facilitation service connecting trained visually impaired women with job opportunities across sectors including healthcare (MTEs), banking, telecom, aviation, garment, hospitality, ITES, and corporate roles.
• Self Employment Training Entrepreneurship training woven into existing skill programs (bakery, spa therapy, handicraft) to enable visually impaired women to start small enterprises. Covers quality work delivery, financial literacy, customer handling, and leadership skills.

Named customers13 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

29 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Urban CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner conducting employee engagement activities. NAB centre students participate in awareness and engagement sessions with Urban Company employees.
• Taj HotelsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlagship partnership with Taj Mahal Hotel Delhi where Blind Bake Café outlet was inaugurated. Blind women chefs prepare food for hotel staff. Also featured in Tata film for National Tourism Day.
• TCSflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to open Blind Bake Café outlets at TCS campuses. First outlet opened at TCS Mumbai with 4 blind chefs and 1 supervisor. Second location opened at TCS Siruseri, Chennai.
• MedantacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare partner organization supporting the center's initiatives
• HaldiramminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood industry partner supporting the organization's initiatives
• British High CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partner supporting disability inclusion initiatives in India
• National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for research and development for visually impaired women. NAB India Centre partnered to identify and document 1064 services for the blind in India.
• American ExpresscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting inclusion initiatives
• Muthoot FinanceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFinancial services partner
• PayUcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner that employed trained blind women as therapists. One placement in Bangalore.
• National Handicapped Finance Development Corporation (NHFDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment corporation partnered for research and development for visually impaired women. Provided Best NGO with Innovative Ideas 2020 award at Ekam Fest.
• American India Foundation (AIF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational development organization partnered for disability inclusion programs. Mrs. Sodhi invited as keynote speaker and resource mobilizer at AIF events in USA.
• Skill Council for Persons with Disabilities (SCPwD)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMrs. Shalini Khanna Sodhi is member of Governing Body representing cause of blind women. SCPwD organized Samavesh-2025 national seminar with NAB Centre as knowledge partner.
• Orient FashionscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGarment export house employing trained blind women as packers. Placement partner for packaging course graduates.
• Sarathee Call CentercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployment partner placing trained blind women as call center executives and team leaders. Located in Gurgaon.
• CK Birla HospitalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare partner employing trained Medical Tactile Examiners (MTE) for breast cancer screening
• ExpediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel industry partner supporting inclusion initiatives
• Engineers India Limited (EIL)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEngineering PSUs partner supporting disability inclusion
• BayerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner for healthcare and inclusion initiatives
• IGT SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness process outsourcing partner for employment of trained candidates
• RHI MagnesitaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting inclusion initiatives
• Spark MindaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner for disability inclusion
• APTIVEminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting inclusion initiatives
• Absolute Security & FacilityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner for employment and training support
• Rotary Blood BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare partner for blood bank services and awareness
• VodafoneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTelecommunications partner supporting inclusion initiatives
• ITCcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner employing trained therapists at ITC Hotel, Delhi
• MESHminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner for inclusion initiatives
• Discovering Hands GermanyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partner that developed Tactile Breast Examination (TBE) methodology. Dr. Frank Hoffmann from Germany collaborated with Ms. Shalini Khanna to introduce the program in Asia. NAB India Centre is pioneering organization for Discovering Hands in Asia.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sense International India: India arm of global disability NGO supporting people with deafblindness and complex disabilities through education, employment, and rehabilitation — directly comparable mission, target population, and non-profit service model.
• Saksham (NGO): Indian non-profit focused on empowering persons with disabilities through skill development and employment — overlapping beneficiary population (PwD), vocational training programs, and corporate placement model.

Broad incumbents

• Helen Keller International: Global NGO combating preventable blindness and supporting people with visual impairments — closely comparable in target population (blind/low-vision), rehabilitation and training programs, and development-partner funding model.
• National Association for Blind India (NAB India): Parent organization of NAB India Centre and the largest NGO for visually impaired in India; operates across 22 states with a broader (not women-exclusive) mandate, providing the institutional umbrella under which the Centre operates.
• CBM India: Indian arm of Christoffel-Blindenmission, a globally established disability inclusion organization running inclusive employment, education, and eye-health programs — comparable non-profit scale, broader PwD scope, and similar employer/CSR partnership model.
• Perkins School for the Blind: U.S.-based globally operating school and international NGO serving blind and visually impaired individuals — comparable in education/rehabilitation and assistive-technology programs for visually impaired, though more education-focused than vocational placement.
• Sightsavers: International development organization working on avoidable blindness, disability rights, and inclusive education in India — comparable mission to visually impaired beneficiaries, non-profit model, and government/donor partnerships.

Emerging players

• Score Foundation: Indian non-profit focused on creating employment opportunities for persons with disabilities including visually impaired — comparable niche (disability employment), smaller scale, and similar employer-engagement approach.
• Eyeway (Enable India): Indian NGO providing information, training, and employment linkages for visually impaired individuals — overlapping target segment (PwD/visually impaired), employment-facilitation focus, and similar donor-supported operating model.

Regional players

• National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD): Government of India autonomous body running rehabilitation, training, and education programs for visually impaired — comparable mission to visually impaired beneficiaries and training programs, but operating as a public-sector institution rather than an NGO.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nabindia-centreforblindwomen-anddisabilitystudies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NAB India Centre for Blind Women and Disability Studies