General

Special: Shining some light for the blind

India’s print media is among the largest in the world. More than 25 per cent of the world’s blind population is in India.

Yet, India’s 12 million visually impaired people do not have a daily newspaper dedicated to them.

In a small way, Swagat Thorat has been trying to change that. Thorat started working with the blind in 1991 when he conceptualised and wrote a documentary about educational methods for the visually impaired.

In 1997, he made Swantantryachi Yashogatha, a play that featured 88 visually impaired artists, a world record.

Sign bond to fly, blind exec told

A high-flying city executive, who has travelled across the world and helped frame disabled-friendly guidelines for Indian airports, hit an air pocket at Patna last week when a private airline insisted he sign a bond before allowing him to board. The apparent reason: he is visually impaired, and was travelling alone.

Nehru's letters now in Braille

In 1928, Jawaharlal Nehru decided to open Indira's eyes to the world. He wrote to his 10 year-old daughter from Allahabad and filled his letters with what amounted to history lessons. The batch of 30 letters that makes up "Letters from a Father to his Daughter" was first published in 1929. And now, a brand new Braille version will reveal their contents to the visually impaired.

‘3 per cent funds must for disabled’

Criminal cases will be registered against the head of departments who fail to earmark three per cent of budgetary outlay for welfare of the disabled, according to Disabilities Commissioner K V Rajanna.

Speaking to reporters after a progress review meeting on Friday, Rajanna said he had requested all the departments to issue circulars on reserving funds for the disabled.
Persons with visible disabilities need not approach the medical board for a disability certificate. The certificate could now be obtained from a physician at any local primary health centre, he said.

Blind woman wins national photo award

A legally blind Winnipeg photographer has taken top prize in a national photo competition.

Tara Miller, 39, found out Tuesday she has been awarded the grand prize in the Canadian National Institute for the Blind's Eye Remember national photography competition.

Miller's striking photo of lightning over a sunflower field during sunset taken last summer near Starbuck, Man., earned her top spot.

"I was so excited to get home and see what I got and praying that it worked out," she said of the photograph.

Visually impaired, but this KV teacher takes his students places

When the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) declared the Class XII results a month ago, S K Sharma’s students rejoiced. They had all cleared the exams with distinction.

With schools focusing on good results and putting tremendous pressure on teachers to perform, Sharma says he is relieved that his students have performed well. And what sets this Hindi teacher apart from others is the fact that in spite of being visually challenged, he has been able to deliver excellent results every year.

Visually impaired uses tech to give others light

Prashant Ranjan Verma was 19-year-old when he started losing his vision due to a fungal infection caused by wearing contact lenses. He was preparing to become a chartered accountant when he was declared 90% visually-impaired.

Shattered and depressed, he did nothing for the next six years. More than a decade later, Verma had received an award by the government for changing the lives of other visually-impaired persons. He improved accessibility for those, who cannot see, by promoting the use of ICT in their daily life.

Blind Delhi lawyer earns senior tag

When a judge refused to accept a blind man attesting a will as a witness in a case he was pleading, SK Rungta argued that the law didn't disqualify a blind person from being a witness. Had that been the case, a blind person couldn't have practised law, as a lawyer has to identify the clients on accepting the brief, he said.

Rungta got his point across. That was eight years ago.

Last week, the Delhi high court judges voted to designate the 57-year-old blind advocate a 'senior' - a first for the country.

I May Be Blind But I'm Not Handicapped: Pawan Bundela

Taste of Darkness. No, that's neither a horror flick, nor a novel. It's the name of the restaurant in Hyderabad, the first of its kind in India. It is part of a global chain and is present in 160 cities.

Document Actions Send this page to somebody Print this page State assures barrier-free environment for disabled

Maharashtra government on Thursday assured the high court here that it would immediately remove all barriers from public buildings to allow smooth movement to physically challenged and the elderly.