Doctors Against Violence Towards Women (DAVTW) has announced the death of co-founder Dr Nikhil Autar, describing him as a “quiet force for change” whose work spanned healthcare reform, disability access, and domestic violence prevention.

The organisation said Dr Autar played a foundational role in establishing DAVTW in 2019 after being deeply affected by a personal experience with domestic violence within his own circle. He went on to help build the charity’s governance, systems and national advocacy work leading to win the 2024 NSW Young Australian of the Year.

DAVTW Chair Dr Karen Williams said Dr Autar’s commitment was immediate and selfless.

“There was something about his approach, that selflessness, that made me trust him,” she said.

“He didn’t want anything from us. He just wanted to help.”

Born with a severe chronic illness after being diagnosed with leukaemia at 17, Dr Autar underwent chemotherapy, bone marrow transplants and open-heart surgery, and lived with ongoing health complications throughout his life.

Despite this, colleagues say he channelled his experience into advocacy and innovation in health and disability care.

As a cancer survivor, Dr Autar developed Knia Maps (Know In Advance Maps), a platform designed to improve accessibility information across hospitals, universities, transport hubs and public venues across Sydney. The system also maps accessibility for hundreds of small businesses.

He also founded Bheem Health, a social enterprise focused on low-cost medical devices for vulnerable patients. Its first device, BheemUP, enables standard beds to convert into hospital beds, while he was also developing BheemSense, a sensor mat designed to track sleep and reduce pressure injuries.

Dr Autar had raised almost $500,000 for pressure sore prevention and medical device research, and was known for employing migrants, people with disability and students through inclusive hiring practices.

Colleagues said his work was grounded in lived experience, including periods of severe illness and disability that shaped his commitment to patient-centred care.

At one point, a rare condition causing severe muscle cramps left him struggling with his mental health. He later said what helped him most was compassion from hospital staff rather than clinical treatment alone.

“It was the small things, the nurses who made me feel at home, the doctor who noticed I was struggling and got me the help I needed,” he said previously.

He recalled a moment before chemotherapy when nurses placed a sketch on his wall showing him fishing, with the caption “Nikhil gone fishing”, which he said helped him feel seen as a person rather than a patient.

“That’s when I realised they didn’t just see me as a patient. They cared for me as a person and that human connection kept me going.”

Despite his health challenges, Dr Autar pursued a long medical training pathway and was undertaking an internship with the Northern Sydney Local Health District. He was also involved in initiatives addressing domestic violence and violence against healthcare workers through DAVTW.

He often spoke about turning adversity into purpose.

“If you build something that creates good, you can change more lives than any single act of medicine ever could.”

DAVTW said his legacy would continue through its ongoing advocacy work to improve healthcare responses to domestic violence and strengthen support for vulnerable patients.

Details of his memorial service have been released, with tributes continuing to flow from across the medical and disability advocacy sectors.

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