[Music] hello everyone hello everyone
hello everyone hello everyone
hello everyone hello everyone am i audible loud and clear can you
am i audible loud and clear can you
am i audible loud and clear can you believe that this boy never crossed the
believe that this boy never crossed the
believe that this boy never crossed the threshold and classroom he has never
threshold and classroom he has never
threshold and classroom he has never been to school
been to school
been to school yet he speaks English he uses a phone
yet he speaks English he uses a phone
yet he speaks English he uses a phone he’s a computer he does all these things
he’s a computer he does all these things
he’s a computer he does all these things as well as any other educated people why
as well as any other educated people why
as well as any other educated people why and how because of his sheer
and how because of his sheer
and how because of his sheer determination his determination to
determination his determination to
determination his determination to change his life and he first came to
change his life and he first came to
change his life and he first came to Jordan a male he thought his life was a
Jordan a male he thought his life was a
Jordan a male he thought his life was a complete waste
complete waste
complete waste he thought he was a complete gone up
he thought he was a complete gone up
he thought he was a complete gone up because everyone had told him he’s
because everyone had told him he’s
because everyone had told him he’s useless
useless
useless he cannot do a thing because he’s
he cannot do a thing because he’s
he cannot do a thing because he’s uneducated
I spoke to him I counseled him and I
I spoke to him I counseled him and I told him that your life is in your hands
told him that your life is in your hands
told him that your life is in your hands it’s not too late unleash
it’s not too late unleash
it’s not too late unleash so what have you’ve not been to school
so what have you’ve not been to school
so what have you’ve not been to school you can still go you can still study you
you can still go you can still study you
you can still go you can still study you can still do a lot of things it’s up to
can still do a lot of things it’s up to
can still do a lot of things it’s up to you it’s up to us I grew up I studied
you it’s up to us I grew up I studied
you it’s up to us I grew up I studied hard I wanted to make that change
hard I wanted to make that change
hard I wanted to make that change but then in the path of my growth
but then in the path of my growth
but then in the path of my growth I lost one of my most important building
I lost one of my most important building
I lost one of my most important building blocks my mother herself
and then I thought I have another
and then I thought I have another building block my father but
building block my father but
building block my father but unfortunately he had to respond to his
unfortunately he had to respond to his
unfortunately he had to respond to his call of the nation he had to go or the
call of the nation he had to go or the
call of the nation he had to go or the Kargil war
Kargil war
Kargil war I was again left alone at a crosswalk
I was again left alone at a crosswalk
I was again left alone at a crosswalk dejected who will I turn to now but
dejected who will I turn to now but
dejected who will I turn to now but still a little voice was winging inside
still a little voice was winging inside
still a little voice was winging inside me don’t give up don’t give up go ahead
me don’t give up don’t give up go ahead
me don’t give up don’t give up go ahead it’s never too late keep your hopes high
it’s never too late keep your hopes high
it’s never too late keep your hopes high I did just that I kept my hopes high I
I did just that I kept my hopes high I
I did just that I kept my hopes high I completed my studies then I went on you
completed my studies then I went on you
completed my studies then I went on you might be a special education because I
might be a special education because I
might be a special education because I wanted to fulfill my dream of changing
wanted to fulfill my dream of changing
wanted to fulfill my dream of changing that glass room set up bringing those
that glass room set up bringing those
that glass room set up bringing those back benchers to the front bench it
back benchers to the front bench it
back benchers to the front bench it wasn’t easy
wasn’t easy
wasn’t easy I started my project as a global blind
I started my project as a global blind
I started my project as a global blind school
school
school and that means that I was traveling
and that means that I was traveling
and that means that I was traveling through houses of blind people in the
through houses of blind people in the
through houses of blind people in the groups and corners of Kerala I went
groups and corners of Kerala I went
groups and corners of Kerala I went there holes I spoke to them I spoke to
there holes I spoke to them I spoke to
there holes I spoke to them I spoke to their parents they were also discouraged
their parents they were also discouraged
their parents they were also discouraged in discriminating detective I counsel
in discriminating detective I counsel
in discriminating detective I counsel Bremen on tried to instill in them the
Bremen on tried to instill in them the
Bremen on tried to instill in them the confidence that they can be front
confidence that they can be front
confidence that they can be front benchers they can be superheroes
all of them understood some parents
all of them understood some parents began to understand that I was talking
began to understand that I was talking
began to understand that I was talking since but some thought I was talking
since but some thought I was talking
since but some thought I was talking computer
I went to some of those schools and I
I went to some of those schools and I saw many backbenchers and many teachers
saw many backbenchers and many teachers
saw many backbenchers and many teachers who reminded me of my old teacher
who reminded me of my old teacher
who reminded me of my old teacher I try to speak to them too I try to make
I try to speak to them too I try to make
I try to speak to them too I try to make that change some accepted it some more
that change some accepted it some more
that change some accepted it some more I continued I continued tell myself it’s
I continued I continued tell myself it’s
I continued I continued tell myself it’s never too late
never too late
never too late don’t give up these were the words that
don’t give up these were the words that
don’t give up these were the words that instilled in that drive to make that
instilled in that drive to make that
instilled in that drive to make that change
change
change I expanded my project I started a
I expanded my project I started a
I expanded my project I started a training center and now we have a
training center and now we have a
training center and now we have a Cineplex training center where we train
Cineplex training center where we train
Cineplex training center where we train blind people in all those skills they
blind people in all those skills they
blind people in all those skills they need to come to the front bench to be
need to come to the front bench to be
need to come to the front bench to be useful and productive citizens to come
useful and productive citizens to come
useful and productive citizens to come where to come to that front bench to
where to come to that front bench to
where to come to that front bench to leave the back bench behind
leave the back bench behind
leave the back bench behind not only in school but in their lives
not only in school but in their lives
not only in school but in their lives yes this is how Aneesh has now half of
yes this is how Aneesh has now half of
yes this is how Aneesh has now half of the front pitch
the front pitch
the front pitch despite I’m not going to school not seen
despite I’m not going to school not seen
despite I’m not going to school not seen a classroom yes I’m sure you all heard
a classroom yes I’m sure you all heard
a classroom yes I’m sure you all heard the waiting speaks English right yes
the waiting speaks English right yes
the waiting speaks English right yes that is the change that is change
that is the change that is change
that is the change that is change but we all need two hands to clap two
but we all need two hands to clap two
but we all need two hands to clap two stones to strike a fire it’s not only us
stones to strike a fire it’s not only us
stones to strike a fire it’s not only us it’s not only the government all of us
it’s not only the government all of us
it’s not only the government all of us just sit there and say all our lives are
just sit there and say all our lives are
just sit there and say all our lives are so bad oh the government should do this
so bad oh the government should do this
so bad oh the government should do this but it’s not only the government it’s we
but it’s not only the government it’s we
but it’s not only the government it’s we who have to do it along with above that
I travel from state to state country to
I travel from state to state country to country unaided with my wife came that I
country unaided with my wife came that I
country unaided with my wife came that I hope right now
hope right now
hope right now and during one of these troubles are
and during one of these troubles are
and during one of these troubles are going to Europe I participated in a
going to Europe I participated in a
going to Europe I participated in a discussion at the European Parliament
discussion at the European Parliament
discussion at the European Parliament about disabilities and changemakers I
about disabilities and changemakers I
about disabilities and changemakers I also saw the European rolls they were
also saw the European rolls they were
also saw the European rolls they were great they were accessible they were
great they were accessible they were
great they were accessible they were small
small
small there were guidelines of the goals they
there were guidelines of the goals they
there were guidelines of the goals they were buttons that help us to cross the
were buttons that help us to cross the
were buttons that help us to cross the road without help for the first time in
road without help for the first time in
road without help for the first time in my life I could cross a road without a
my life I could cross a road without a
my life I could cross a road without a care in the world no cars coming in
care in the world no cars coming in
care in the world no cars coming in front or behind I pressed the button I
front or behind I pressed the button I
front or behind I pressed the button I heard the sound and across the road was
heard the sound and across the road was
heard the sound and across the road was great I was thrilled a lot of people
great I was thrilled a lot of people
great I was thrilled a lot of people told me I’ll stay here you’ll get a job
told me I’ll stay here you’ll get a job
told me I’ll stay here you’ll get a job I was like no I have to go back to my
I was like no I have to go back to my
I was like no I have to go back to my country and try to take something for
country and try to take something for
country and try to take something for you guys and try to implement it in my
you guys and try to implement it in my
you guys and try to implement it in my own country I came back
and I met our honorable governor I spoke
and I met our honorable governor I spoke to him about the problems that we face
to him about the problems that we face
to him about the problems that we face about accessibility
about accessibility
about accessibility according to article 9 of the UNCRPD we
according to article 9 of the UNCRPD we
according to article 9 of the UNCRPD we have equal rights to excess goods and
have equal rights to excess goods and
have equal rights to excess goods and services everything should be accessible
services everything should be accessible
services everything should be accessible buildings food services public places
buildings food services public places
buildings food services public places transport everything how we’re really
transport everything how we’re really
transport everything how we’re really doing that have you seen the food
doing that have you seen the food
doing that have you seen the food passenger manual
passenger manual
passenger manual do they look like footpaths today
why can a blind person can any of you
why can a blind person can any of you close your eyes and walk on that
close your eyes and walk on that
close your eyes and walk on that footpath
footpath
footpath no because it’s full of slabs and stones
no because it’s full of slabs and stones
no because it’s full of slabs and stones and sticks and water pools you name it
and sticks and water pools you name it
and sticks and water pools you name it it’s there except a proper place to go
it’s there except a proper place to go
it’s there except a proper place to go this is a hindrance
this is a hindrance
this is a hindrance I hope the government does but the
I hope the government does but the
I hope the government does but the government can only do something if some
government can only do something if some
government can only do something if some people like us not only me but we blind
people like us not only me but we blind
people like us not only me but we blind people make our voices heard we are not
people make our voices heard we are not
people make our voices heard we are not doing that we are just sitting in the
doing that we are just sitting in the
doing that we are just sitting in the four walls of our houses waiting for
four walls of our houses waiting for
four walls of our houses waiting for everyone to do something for us the
everyone to do something for us the
everyone to do something for us the supermarkets in Europe they are
supermarkets in Europe they are
supermarkets in Europe they are accessible the price tags of things are
accessible the price tags of things are
accessible the price tags of things are written in Braille people help us as
written in Braille people help us as
written in Braille people help us as soon as we enter that supermarket people
soon as we enter that supermarket people
soon as we enter that supermarket people are helping us they’re asking us what we
are helping us they’re asking us what we
are helping us they’re asking us what we want why because blind people regularly
want why because blind people regularly
want why because blind people regularly go there they buy things for themselves
go there they buy things for themselves
go there they buy things for themselves here we depend on someone to take us to
here we depend on someone to take us to
here we depend on someone to take us to buy things for us and what is that
buy things for us and what is that
buy things for us and what is that excuse it’s not accessible what do we do
excuse it’s not accessible what do we do
excuse it’s not accessible what do we do unless we go out there and do something
unless we go out there and do something
unless we go out there and do something people are not gonna help us I take my
people are not gonna help us I take my
people are not gonna help us I take my students now regularly to the
students now regularly to the
students now regularly to the supermarket and to the shops now they go
supermarket and to the shops now they go
supermarket and to the shops now they go themselves and now the first time they
themselves and now the first time they
themselves and now the first time they went people were unresponsive they just
went people were unresponsive they just
went people were unresponsive they just didn’t know how to handle these blind
didn’t know how to handle these blind
didn’t know how to handle these blind people why were they wasting their time
people why were they wasting their time
people why were they wasting their time the second time the same response but
the second time the same response but
the second time the same response but the third time people started
the third time people started
the third time people started understanding that these blind people
understanding that these blind people
understanding that these blind people can’t do it they need help they need
can’t do it they need help they need
can’t do it they need help they need empathy so people started coming forward
empathy so people started coming forward
empathy so people started coming forward and helping only if we take that
and helping only if we take that
and helping only if we take that initiative with everyone stand behind us
initiative with everyone stand behind us
initiative with everyone stand behind us so we have to do that that’s what I’m
so we have to do that that’s what I’m
so we have to do that that’s what I’m here I’m here
here I’m here
here I’m here to bring about that change but I can’t
to bring about that change but I can’t
to bring about that change but I can’t do it alone I need my fellow blind
do it alone I need my fellow blind
do it alone I need my fellow blind colleagues and I need you all to support
colleagues and I need you all to support
colleagues and I need you all to support me in that change and I want to make
me in that change and I want to make
me in that change and I want to make adventure adventure isn’t yet another
adventure adventure isn’t yet another
adventure adventure isn’t yet another hindrance in front of us we don’t see
hindrance in front of us we don’t see
hindrance in front of us we don’t see too many blind people engaged in sports
too many blind people engaged in sports
too many blind people engaged in sports activities especially girls we are
activities especially girls we are
activities especially girls we are continuously cautioned by our parents
continuously cautioned by our parents
continuously cautioned by our parents don’t do this don’t do that don’t play
don’t do this don’t do that don’t play
don’t do this don’t do that don’t play don’t run you’ll fall it’s dangerous I
don’t run you’ll fall it’s dangerous I
don’t run you’ll fall it’s dangerous I couldn’t do that when I was small I
couldn’t do that when I was small I
couldn’t do that when I was small I couldn’t run and play and jump and hop
couldn’t run and play and jump and hop
couldn’t run and play and jump and hop and skip no one allowed me to I was like
and skip no one allowed me to I was like
and skip no one allowed me to I was like isolated well my friends went out to
isolated well my friends went out to
isolated well my friends went out to play I was made to just stand there in a
play I was made to just stand there in a
play I was made to just stand there in a corner and watch them run and play ball
corner and watch them run and play ball
corner and watch them run and play ball and everything
and everything
and everything but now I’ve gone up I can I can do this
but now I’ve gone up I can I can do this
but now I’ve gone up I can I can do this I have flown inside a plane
I have flown inside a plane
I have flown inside a plane I have jumped four four thousand feet
I have jumped four four thousand feet
I have jumped four four thousand feet high I have thrown in the air
I have flown in the air like a bird with
I have flown in the air like a bird with both my hands touching the air it was
both my hands touching the air it was
both my hands touching the air it was like this an indescribable victory I was
like this an indescribable victory I was
like this an indescribable victory I was flying like a bird without a care in the
flying like a bird without a care in the
flying like a bird without a care in the world
world
world that skydiving of course I had an
that skydiving of course I had an
that skydiving of course I had an instructor with me and we had fun
rope climbing wall climbing and tandem
rope climbing wall climbing and tandem cycling the tandem cycling experience
cycling the tandem cycling experience
cycling the tandem cycling experience was something thrilling in itself I’ve
was something thrilling in itself I’ve
was something thrilling in itself I’ve always wanted to drive and ride a cycle
always wanted to drive and ride a cycle
always wanted to drive and ride a cycle myself and I couldn’t do that this time
myself and I couldn’t do that this time
myself and I couldn’t do that this time even though I had a tandem I had someone
even though I had a tandem I had someone
even though I had a tandem I had someone in front of me I could do it I felt like
in front of me I could do it I felt like
in front of me I could do it I felt like I was riding that cycle I was on that
I was riding that cycle I was on that
I was riding that cycle I was on that road pedaling my dear life yes I was
road pedaling my dear life yes I was
road pedaling my dear life yes I was there
people told me you can’t do that you
people told me you can’t do that you can’t cycle you won’t even reach your
can’t cycle you won’t even reach your
can’t cycle you won’t even reach your destination there’s too much traffic
destination there’s too much traffic
destination there’s too much traffic even if you have a kind of I said no and
even if you have a kind of I said no and
even if you have a kind of I said no and I did it people told me you can’t climb
I did it people told me you can’t climb
I did it people told me you can’t climb that wall you’ll just fall but I did it
that wall you’ll just fall but I did it
that wall you’ll just fall but I did it people told me you can’t go broke riding
people told me you can’t go broke riding
people told me you can’t go broke riding it’s dangerous I did it
it’s dangerous I did it
it’s dangerous I did it people told me skydiving oh Lord you ha
people told me skydiving oh Lord you ha
people told me skydiving oh Lord you ha I did it I said no to all those negative
I did it I said no to all those negative
I did it I said no to all those negative thoughts all those negative instructions
thoughts all those negative instructions
thoughts all those negative instructions and I said yes I can do it it
so adventure is not a hinge excuse me
so adventure is not a hinge excuse me Alex
Alex
Alex blindness is not a hindrance for
blindness is not a hindrance for
blindness is not a hindrance for adventure every blind person every
adventure every blind person every
adventure every blind person every disabled person has the right to
disabled person has the right to
disabled person has the right to adventure we can enjoy our lives
we can have adventure we can do sports
we can have adventure we can do sports and recreation we can do it as well as
and recreation we can do it as well as
and recreation we can do it as well as any other person we just need to have
any other person we just need to have
any other person we just need to have certain adaptations
we can play cricket there’s so many
we can play cricket there’s so many blind cricket players we can play
blind cricket players we can play
blind cricket players we can play cricket as long as we have a sound ball
cricket as long as we have a sound ball
cricket as long as we have a sound ball we can do tandem cycling skydiving and
we can do tandem cycling skydiving and
we can do tandem cycling skydiving and paragliding as long as we have a tandem
paragliding as long as we have a tandem
paragliding as long as we have a tandem we can feel those things just let us
we can feel those things just let us
we can feel those things just let us feel stop stopping us because what we
feel stop stopping us because what we
feel stop stopping us because what we need here is empathy not sympathy equal
need here is empathy not sympathy equal
need here is empathy not sympathy equal treatment
treatment
treatment we need that zest we need that Drive but
we need that zest we need that Drive but
we need that zest we need that Drive but that has to come from within us and from
that has to come from within us and from
that has to come from within us and from you I conduct awareness programs
you I conduct awareness programs
you I conduct awareness programs I’ve even blindfolded people
I’ve even blindfolded people
I’ve even blindfolded people they have seen us they have seen our
they have seen us they have seen our
they have seen us they have seen our lives from their perspective yes it was
lives from their perspective yes it was
lives from their perspective yes it was great so people understood that yes the
great so people understood that yes the
great so people understood that yes the life of a blind person is like this but
life of a blind person is like this but
life of a blind person is like this but that’s not for sympathy
that’s not for sympathy
that’s not for sympathy that’s for empathy so that they can also
that’s for empathy so that they can also
that’s for empathy so that they can also come out there with us and make that
come out there with us and make that
come out there with us and make that change I hope you all can because it’s
change I hope you all can because it’s
change I hope you all can because it’s not only I I who can do it it’s only if
not only I I who can do it it’s only if
not only I I who can do it it’s only if you all stand with me I can do that now
you all stand with me I can do that now
you all stand with me I can do that now will you all join with me will you all
will you all join with me will you all
will you all join with me will you all help me make that change because I can’t
help me make that change because I can’t
help me make that change because I can’t do it alone nothing can be done alone as
do it alone nothing can be done alone as
do it alone nothing can be done alone as the proverb says united we stand divided
the proverb says united we stand divided
the proverb says united we stand divided we fall
we fall
we fall yes we have to make that change our
yes we have to make that change our
yes we have to make that change our father of the nation said be the change
father of the nation said be the change
father of the nation said be the change you want to see
you want to see
you want to see don’t only talk about chains but go out
don’t only talk about chains but go out
don’t only talk about chains but go out there and be that change because you can
there and be that change because you can
there and be that change because you can we can our life is in our hands and it’s
we can our life is in our hands and it’s
we can our life is in our hands and it’s never too late even if we are 50 years
never too late even if we are 50 years
never too late even if we are 50 years old we can go to school it’s up to us
old we can go to school it’s up to us
old we can go to school it’s up to us make that change to make that difference
make that change to make that difference
make that change to make that difference and to make our lives worth living
”
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