Former CJI DY Chandrachud struggles to find suitable house in Delhi for specially abled daughters ahead of April 30 deadline

Former Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, on Thursday opened up about his personal struggles in finding a suitable house in Delhi for his two differently abled daughters. Speaking at a panel discussion titled "Disability Rights & Beyond" organised by Mission Accessibility, he said, “We have two beautiful daughters who have needs, but it has been difficult to find a house to cater to their needs.” Justice Chandrachud and his wife, Kalpana Das, adopted two daughters—Priyanka and Mahi—who suffer from a rare genetic disorder called nemaline myopathy. He shared the emotional journey of raising them, recalling painful hospital visits and the love between the siblings. “My older daughter kept saying, ‘I don’t want my sister to go through this,’” he said, according to Bar and Bench.

He also reflected on how the daughters changed his family's perspective. “They brought us closer to veganism and made us more conscious about animals and the environment.”

Justice Chandrachud will vacate his official residence by April 30. He highlighted how public spaces and homes are still not accessible for persons with disabilities. “For too long, society has kept the disabled under the curtain of ignorance and suppression,” he said.

During the discussion, he spoke about starting Mitti Café—an inclusive workplace in the Supreme Court for persons with disabilities. Inspired by this, the President of India later launched a similar café at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

He also stressed the need for prioritising disability cases in courts, saying, “You need a bench with empathy.” He urged a review of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act to address changes in employment trends and suggested collaboration between academia and the private sector.

Justice Chandrachud touched on mental health issues in the legal profession, calling for better work-life balance and inclusive legal practices. He proposed mandatory accessibility audits for public spaces and teaching sign language in schools.

He ended with a powerful message: “The court is just one avenue for change. Let’s not belittle the role of civil society.”