Visual impairment did not stop Kempahonniah from Tumakuru from working hard to achieve his dream of being an IAS officer.

Mr. Kempahonniah secured the 340th rank in the UPSC examination on his third attempt. “My wife, Anchitha, helped me study by making notes and made me listen to records. My examination and interview was in Kannada,” he said. When asked if visual impairment was a hurdle in writing the examination, he said: “Problems are ubiquitous, but we have to overcome them with confidence.”

Mr. Kempahonniah lost his vision in standard IV owing to irreparable retinal damage, and had then thought he could not study any more. “It was because I was offered a seat in Mysuru Blind School that I was able to continue my studies,” he said.

From then, he climbed the academic ladder. He completed his graduation from Maharaja’s College before doing his Master’s and an MPhil from Kannada University, Hampi. He currently works as Kannada lecturer in Vontikoppal Government PU college in Mysuru.