This matchmaking app aims to connect people with disabilities in India

Anu Multani and her parents had been looking for a suitable boy for several years, looking up several matchmaking websites without success. In January, Multani, a rifle shooter and a model, unexpectedly encountered someone she liked online. 

She already knew 32-year-old Imran Garana, but connecting on the app and the knowledge that the other person was also looking for a partner, gave them both the confidence to talk about taking their relationship to the next level. Garana lived near Multani's hometown Surat, in the western Indian state of Gujarat, and seemed to fit the bill. They talked and met, and things fell into place. By May, they were married. 

Garana and Multani, both of whom live with polio, had met on Inclov, a new Indian matchmaking app for people with disabilities and health disorders. It is also one of the few dating apps for people with disabilities in the world; another well-known example is the online community Dating4Disabled.

"While I had tried several matrimonial websites, I couldn't find the right person," Multani, 30, told Mashable. "I was always hesitant, wondering what would they say and how would they react, once they found out about my polio in our first meeting. With Inclov, I wasn't shy of meeting anyone. I could talk to them easily. I knew all the information beforehand -- what their handicap was and how they dealt with it." 

Inclov, which focuses on but is not restricted to people with disabilities and health disorders, was launched in early 2016 after a successful crowdfunding campaign. Six months later, it has 3,600 users in 55 Indian cities. Inclov has made over 1,000 matches till date, starting with Multani and Garana.

"In India, people with disabilities can get secluded in their own space," Shankar Srinivasan, co-founder of Inclov, said. "Many have restricted social lives, and don't get a chance to meet to interact with a lot of people. Most of the places, including bars, restaurants and malls, aren't accessible. Through Inclov, we hope to give them a chance to meet others." 

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While some of India's traditional matrimonial websites offer matchmaking for users with disabilities, Inclov has an emphasis on including details of each user's disability to ensure transparency from the beginning.

For Multani, Inclov's transparency was especially useful. Many of the users were people she had met during her tours as a rifle shooter.

"It was easy to see and check other profiles and chat," Multani says. "Even people without disabilities can use the app, if they think that they can sympathise with and care for those with disabilities," Multani says.

Once a user downloads the app, they are asked to verify their identity. To ensure transparency, all users have to share details about their disability ("physical, mental, learning") or health disorder, the medical assistance they require, any cure, and their level of independence. They must also provide their age, hobbies and profession. 

Srinivasan explains that these categories were chosen after a survey of 300 people with disabilities across India. "Users have to disclose their disability at some point," Srinivasan says. "It's better that they are disclosed upfront rather than gradually revealed later."

Once they've registered, Incov users can search for others using these filters. For safety, even after a user accepts a friend request, the app doesn't display phone numbers or email IDs. It is up to the users to take the conversation forward.

Inclov was founded as an offline matchmaking agency by 23-year-old Kalyani Khona in 2014. Srinavasan joined Khona a year later. The two wanted to work for people with disabilities, and realised that there was little being done outside employment, especially in the area of companionship.

Within seven months, the demand was so high, it wasn't possible to do physical matching anymore.

"There are 1.2 billion disabled people in the world," Srinivasan says. "We needed to move to technology to create a bigger impact."

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

To ensure that the app was fully accessible before the launch, Inclov was tested with the help of 50 people with different disabilities -- including visual, hearing and speech disabilities, colour blindness, and cerebral palsy -- as well as medical experts.

The app has features such as a font magnifier and different colour schemes for people with colour blindness. A talkback service reads out every feature and image on the app. Users who are unable to swipe can type to switch screens, and use a bottom path with icons, home notifications and filters. Inclov also plans to integrate video calling for sign language and voice notes in the future.

Inclov is trying to create a community of users by partnering with nonprofits working in the field of disability. The startup has also been organising meet-ups in different cities, by inviting all users and their families and friends to go out and meet different people. Many of these are held in open and accessible places, such as beaches and gardens.

"It becomes socially less awkward," Srinivasan says. "That way they have an option to feel comfortable.

"There are also people who aren't looking for marriage, but just companionship," Srinivasan adds. "This becomes a platform for them to connect to new people, have friends to talk to and text."

India has 21 million people with some kind of disability, equivalent to 2.1 percent of its total population. Many, especially women, face social, cultural and physical barriers in going out and socialising with other people. 

Multani speaks of how she had to fight many battles and prejudices to get to where she is."Men, even if disabled, can get a match, but women face a lot of difficulties," Multani says. "They face a double handicap. Many find it difficult to get married and educated or are tortured by their families because they can't work. Often, their own family doesn't support them." 

A majority of Inclov's users are male, and only a small percentage are women. It's a challenge that Inclov has been trying to overcome through its safety features. To ensure that its users have a safe experience, Inclov also takes security steps, such as mobile and email verification, displaying only the first name, an in-chat feature and not allowing screenshots on the app.

"It's been overwhelming with so many people saying thank you for understanding the need," Srinivasan says. "Inclov gives them hope that love is also possible for them."

Inclov is available on Android for free.

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