Bengaluru, Dec. 6 -- The International Day of Persons with Disabilities was observed on 3 December, drawing attention to the reality that nearly 2% of India's population lives with some form of disability. To serve this community, the government set up the department of empowerment of persons with disabilities on 12 May 2012, making it responsible for policies, rights, schemes, and institutional support.

The financial sector, too-nudged by court rulings-has taken steps towards greater inclusion, but the rapidly expanding digital ecosystem around know-your-customer (KYC) remains a glaring blind spot. Given that KYC is mandatory and portability of KYC is still not smooth, the struggle for persons with disabilities only increases.

For many...