Bhimavarappu Mouli Aravind lost his eyesight at a young age but he found a way to pursue legal studies at National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS), Kolkata

My father is a compounder and mother, a homemaker. My younger brother is in class XII. After an accident in class III, I slowly lost my eyesight but this has not stopped me from living my dream. I attended a school in my hometown Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. I had difficulty reading the blackboard and it was especially tough in the maths class. As my vision slowly worsened, I would sit on the first bench and jot down notes. I could not even see the diagrams in the textbooks properly. It majorly affected my life. In exams, the paper used to be printed in small font.

After my class X, I went to Hyderabad — Sai Junior College for the Visually Challenged — for my intermediate course, that is class XI. It took me some time to adjust to campus life. When I was in class XII, my life changed as I met IDIA (Increasing Diversity by Increasing Access to Legal Education) representatives who coach Common Law Admission Test aspirants free. IDIA, a pan-India organisation, conducted an entrance test in which I topped. I always thought lawyers are good for nothing. They simply sit under a tree and charge Rs 300-500 per case. But my opinion changed when Shamnad Basheer of IDIA talked to me about the significance of law and a lawyer's role in moulding society. I decided to pursue law at NUJS.

It was a very different life for me; I am from a society where we are not allowed to talk to girls. But I saw people speaking to each other freely and in English. I took sometime but I soon made friends who helped in my academics.

I had an opportunity to represent the university at the national level for a conference in Delhi. IDIA paid for my expenses and finally, my dream of visiting Delhi came true and I also enjoyed the conference.

I wish to become an IAS officer and help my community and other visuallychallenged people.

- As told to Aaditi Isaac

SOURCE: Times of India