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Vijayalakshmi who has carved a niche for herself in the Malayalam film industry has also sung in Tamil and Telugu films

Vaikom Vijayalakshmi, the visually impaired singer from Kerala loved much for her unique voice recognisable among scores of new singers, is getting married next month. In a phone call, her dad Muraleedharan confirmed the news.

The groom to be, Anoop N., is an interior designer and mimicry artist who ‘has a taste for music’, Muraleedharan says. The engagement is happening on September 10 and the wedding on October 22 in her hometown, Vaikom. “At the Mahadeva Temple there,” the bride’s father says.

M-tech launches Sathi: Its first senior-friendly phone

Sathi offers Braille support for the visually impaired.

M-tech, a manufacturer of affordable mobile phones, has launched its first senior-friendly phone – Sathi.

The company has focused to make it easy to use and it comes with a 2-inch horizontal screen, large keypads and on-screen fonts, bold keypad and icons for better visibility. For facilitating elder with hearing problems, the phone emanates keypad sound for adding an extra touch of usefulness. Considering security and medical emergency as crucial, the phone features an SOS button for emergency.

Ayushmann spent time at blind school for three months

Actor Ayushmann Khurrana, who plays a visually impaired pianist in Sriram Raghavan's forthcoming thriller "Andha Dhun", regularly went to a blind school for three months to prepare for his role.

"I wanted to look 100 per cent genuine on screen. It is extremely sensitive to portray someone who is visually impaired and some of the great actors, the world over, have played these characters perfectly with sheer brilliance. I didn't want to let down my director who had faith in me and in my acting skills," Ayushmann said in a statement.

How friendly are public places in Hyderabad for the visually-impaired?

HYDERABAD: Being able to move on one’s own is a great achievement for visually impaired people like me. I am a 20-plusser student in the city. Visiting a lot of places in a city like Hyderabad especially with a pool of people rushing all the time needs more than white cane mobility. It is highly impossible to move around such places without proper accessibility features in and around them. Being a visually impaired guy myself here’s my two cents of the accessibility off the places which I visit frequently in the twin cities.

He Spent Two Years And Rs 5 Lakh To Prepare A Comprehensive Braille Material For Visually Challenged IAS Aspirants

Over the years, the integration of visually-impaired individuals has increased in government services. However, they still have to encounter many difficulties, ranging from the lack of accessible infrastructure to the unavailability of materials in a suitable format. For instance, a visually-challenged aspirant preparing for UPSC can only avail 20% of the entire syllabus in Braille. Akella Raghavendra from Hyderabad observed their plight from close quarters when he started coaching visually-challenged UPSC aspirants in 2016.

Pioneering Accessible Technology Since 1996 – Byungho Kim

In 1996, only a select few of us were engaging with computers or accessing the Internet on a daily basis. As these trailblazers were mapping out the digital space as we know it today, Byungho Kim overcame adversity in the prime of his professional career and dedicated himself to making technology accessible to as many people as possible.

MTN gives scholarship to 96 blind students in science and technology

THE MTN Foundation has awarded a scholarship to 96 blind students and 1068 students to study science and technology in 2018 academic session.

Mr Dennis Okoro, Director MTN Foundation made this known on Tuesday in Abuja during the presentation of scholarship award to some of the beneficiaries.
Okoro said that a total of 1164 students had so far been awarded the scholarship comprising 96 blind students and 1068 other students.

He said the award of the scholarship was part of MTN social corporate responsibility in giving back to the society.

May I ask, ‘Are you blind?’

Several decades ago, I was walking briskly on the narrow road to my school on a Monday morning when something funny caught my attention. A 3-year-old boy was practising some dancing steps in front of his mum. I stopped momentarily to watch the scenario. Just then, an old man bumped into me. “Are you blind?” he asked. I was speechless. “Me! Blind? I wasn’t even moving at the time! “Sorry sir,” I apologised even though I felt it should have been the other way round. Many years later, I was able to provide an answer to his question.

3 Ambala students devise e-stick for visually impaired

3 Ambala students devise e-stick for visually impaired
Aakash Kushwaha, a student, displays an e-stick developed for visually impaired persons. Tribune photo

Ambala, September 7

Three students from Ambala have devised a walking stick for people with vision impairment.

The stick has ultrasound capability packed with artificial intelligence (AI) to allow users to get ‘AI’ vision guidance on the road.

Making the outdoors inclusive

The outdoors are exhilarating, inspiring, and even therapeutic, but unfortunately, not easily accessible to everyone. Challenging the status quo is a mission that Mumbai-based Anusha Subramanian has embarked upon. A journalist, she is a passionate mountaineer. As part of a 13-member team, she intends taking on the mighty Mt. Kilimanjaro (5895 m) in Tanzania, world’s highest free standing mountain, in what is being touted as India’s first inclusive expedition.