Dinesh Palipana OAM (born 1984) is an Australian doctor, lawyer, scientist and disability advocate.

[6] Palipana has been an advocate for medical students with disabilities in Australia, where significant barriers existed.

He graduated with several awards[11] and was featured in the Griffith University video Dinesh Palipana is remarkable.

[28] He served as a senior advisor to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.

[30] During medical school, Palipana was involved in a car accident causing a spinal cord injury and quadriplegia.

[33] A physician attending the accident scene with emergency services had taught Palipana during medical school.

[35] Palipana subsequently spent seven months at a spinal injuries unit in the Princess Alexandra Hospital.

In 2013, he gifted a stock of medical supplies for spinal cord injury to the then Minister of Health[42] Maithripala Sirisena.

By using his story as an example,[46] Palipana has been a vocal advocate for taking an inclusive approach to medical education in the country instead.

[47][48][49] Palipana has been using his story to demonstrate ways in which doctors,[50][51][52] and the wider population,[53][54][55][56] can work effectively with disabilities.

[69] Since gaining employment at the Gold Coast University Hospital, Palipana has promoted inclusion within the organisation.

[91] Palipana's interest includes non-invasive interventions to promote functional improvement in spinal cord injury.

[92][93] Some of these interventions have involved electroencephalography (EEG) and electrical stimulation,[94] which was highlighted in Griffith University's Be Remarkable media campaign.

Dinesh has spoken at various events such as TED (conference)[109] and alongside figures such as Kerry O'Brien[110][111] and Deng Thiak Adut[112] regarding his experiences.