Visually impaired students craft candles, light up lives

As Diwali approaches, students of the Institute for the Blind in Sector 26 are learning to make candles, turning a festive activity into an opportunity to develop practical skills, earn an income and move towards greater independence.
At a candle-making workshop organised by the institute, students learn the art of making and packing candles for sale in the market. The proceeds go towards supporting the institution’s activities.

A question posed by a visually impaired student in Bhimavaram—“Why should I type when I can speak?”—inspired 20-year-old engineering student Lingampalli Himaja to develop RUDHRA, a voice-enabled Braille printer, which has recently been shortlisted among the global top 20 finalists for the James Dyson Award 2026.
Engineering student Lingampalli Himaja says she developed RUDHRA to help visually impaired people create Braille documents independently, eliminating the complexities involved in conventional Braille typing

Afeefa Amatullah Ali, a visually impaired high-achieving student and aspiring social worker, is receiving a boost in her studies and career after First Lady Mrs. Arya Ali provided her with a laptop and iPhone. The devices will support Afeefa’s studies and her work at the Centre for Equity, Opportunity and Innovation in Berbice.

As part of the 41st National Eye Donation Fortnight 2026, the Department of Ophthalmology at the PGIMER organised a series of awareness activities across educational institutions and workplaces to promote eye donation and sensitise people about its vital role in restoring vision to individuals suffering from corneal blindness.