Governance & Independence
Neutral infrastructure, by design.
For a standard to be trusted by the whole field, the body that holds it must belong to no single interest. Independence is not a promise on this page — it is written into the Alliance's constitution.
01 The independence keystone
Four locks, made constitutional.
The Alliance belongs to its members — not to its Anchor, and not to any single firm.
The Charter makes independence structural, not optional.
- A not-for-profit vehicle — the Alliance is a Section 8 company, separate from its Anchor (BHCL), with no distributable profit and an asset-lock on dissolution.
- An independent Patron-President — a head of the Alliance independent of the Anchor, appointed under the Charter.
- An independent-majority Board — a Governing Board on which independent members hold the majority.
- A conflict-of-interest firewall — a constitutional firewall (Article X) separating the Anchor's commercial interests from the Alliance's standard-setting.
02 The organs
How the Alliance is run.
Governance is exercised through defined organs, each with its own mandate under Article VII of the Charter.
- General Assembly — the members, in whom ultimate authority rests.
- Governing Board — the independent-majority board that directs the Alliance.
- Patron-President — the independent head of the Alliance.
- Secretariat — the administrative office — anchored by BHCL in the establishment period.
- The three Councils — Academic, Clinical, Research — the working engine.
- Student Council & Lived-Experience Panel — the voice of students, and of people with lived experience of disability.
03 Children & data first
The first duty.
The Alliance exists for children's development, and that places a first duty on it: children and their data come first. All personal and children's data is handled under India's DPDP Act 2023 and the FAIR principles, with safeguarding written into Article XI and a named Grievance Officer. See the Child Safeguarding and Privacy policies.
04 Finance, assets & audit
Accountable by construction.
As a not-for-profit, the Alliance applies its income to its objects, is independently audited, and locks its assets on dissolution to another not-for-profit with like objects (Articles XIV and XVIII). Funding is drawn from membership, partnerships, grants and CSR/philanthropy within Indian law.
05 Relationship with the RCI
Complements, does not supplant.
The Alliance complements the Rehabilitation Council of India and any statutory regulator; it claims no authority reserved to them, aligns with the RCI's post-reform mission, and seeks recognition and partnership. This is what makes IRWFA legible as infrastructure rather than a rival.
Figures are forward-facing operational metrics as of May 2026; patent references are to international (PCT) applications, not granted patents; “largest / first / only” is stated to our knowledge as of May 2026. Consortium and governance seats are designated pending formal appointment. IRWFA complements the Rehabilitation Council of India and does not supplant it; statutory recognitions are in process.
The Invitation
Join the Alliance — governed by its members, free in the establishment period.
members@irwfa.org · 9100 181 181