The Independence Paradox: A Study of Shivani Gupta’s Autobiography, No Looking Back

People with disabilities are often perceived as dependent individuals. Disability studies scholars propose various models of disability that conceptualize different viewpoints that are prevalent in society. Each model takes a different stance on disability and dependency. The most practiced is the medical model that views disability as an individual responsibility where the disabled are dependent on the medical professionals for support and care. Whereas the social model proposes that dependency prevails partly because of the environmental and attitudinal barriers created by the society. The Independent Living Model, taken for this research, solely focuses on the aspects of dependence and independence and how systematic dependence can be implemented to the benefit of the disabled. This paper has taken the autobiography, No Looking Back by Shivani Gupta to analyze her experiences, which are reflective of the disability scenario in India. This study scrutinizes the facets of the Independent Living framework and attempts to find the gaps that hinder the autonomy of the disabled through her autobiography. It also examines how being dependent on certain services can help the disabled to lead an independent life.