People story | June 2024 | Read time: 2min
Empowering you to be your best
It’s 2016. I’m in Hyderabad, India boarding my first international flight on the way to Rio de Janeiro as a Deloitte brand ambassador attending the Paralympic Games 2016. I’m pinching myself to make sure it’s real.
Back then, I was chosen to participate in a special talent program as a part of Deloitte’s sponsorship of Team USA, allowing me to attend the Rio Games. Deloitte has been the official professional services provider to and proud sponsor of Team USA since 2009. As a wheelchair basketball player, attending the Paralympic Games was something I never thought to dream of. Deloitte provided me an opportunity to make it a reality. Being in Rio, representing Deloitte was an honor, but it’s far from the only way I was supported as an employee with a disability.
At Deloitte, every person is seen and celebrated for what they bring to the table – regardless of color, gender, ability, etc. As employees, we’re supported and empowered to be our best. I saw this firsthand when I was working at USI in India. I had an issue with the wheelchair access bathroom at my office where a pillar blocked me from easily getting to use the facility. It can be scary, and embarrassing, to ask for help as a disabled person, but my manager immediately jumped to action. Over the next weekend, a new sliding door was installed to allow me easy access. I couldn’t believe how quickly they worked.
I no longer had to rely on someone else to help me access the bathroom door. By ensuring I was taken care of, Deloitte empowered me to advocate for myself and others around me with disabilities. So when I was chosen to represent Deloitte in Rio, knowing it would be my first international trip in a wheelchair, I felt safe asking for a caregiver come along. Deloitte not only approved the request, but also covered the cost of her trip to ensure I truly got to experience those two weeks at the Paralympic Games, worry-free.
Deloitte sees things differently. I should know, I’m recently back with the organization after working for somewhere else for the last two years. I immediately could see what I was missing. My new role is in Austin, Texas. Deloitte helps me to continue to work and live in the United States, where I live close to my family who have also moved over from India. All of this just scratches the surface on why I am so happy to be back. The culture at Deloitte is what makes us different.
Deloitte is a place full of opportunities, for you and for me. It’s a place where you really are celebrated for who you are and what you bring. And it’s where I hope to stay until I retire.