blind dates I’m sure many of you have talked about it some of you have thought
talked about it some of you have thought
talked about it some of you have thought about it and some of you have perhaps
about it and some of you have perhaps
about it and some of you have perhaps been on one but I have three questions
been on one but I have three questions
been on one but I have three questions for you would you be satisfied would you
for you would you be satisfied would you
for you would you be satisfied would you be comfortable going out on a date with
be comfortable going out on a date with
be comfortable going out on a date with a blind person would you be confident of
a blind person would you be confident of
a blind person would you be confident of having a secretary who is blind would
having a secretary who is blind would
having a secretary who is blind would you be happy going on an expedition to
you be happy going on an expedition to
you be happy going on an expedition to Mount Everest with a mountaineer who is
Mount Everest with a mountaineer who is
Mount Everest with a mountaineer who is blind well over the next few minutes
blind well over the next few minutes
blind well over the next few minutes let’s explore ideas and possibilities I
let’s explore ideas and possibilities I
let’s explore ideas and possibilities I began my work with the blind in 1990 the
began my work with the blind in 1990 the
began my work with the blind in 1990 the first project I did was in the promotion
first project I did was in the promotion
first project I did was in the promotion of cricket for the blind and cricket
of cricket for the blind and cricket
of cricket for the blind and cricket took me across this wonderful country
took me across this wonderful country
took me across this wonderful country and gave me the opportunity to engage
and gave me the opportunity to engage
and gave me the opportunity to engage very closely with blind people their
very closely with blind people their
very closely with blind people their families but teachers educationists
families but teachers educationists
families but teachers educationists media professionals with medical
media professionals with medical
media professionals with medical professionals with people from the
professionals with people from the
professionals with people from the bureaucracy and even politicians I also
bureaucracy and even politicians I also
bureaucracy and even politicians I also had the opportunity of hearing different
had the opportunity of hearing different
had the opportunity of hearing different voices from different parts of India
voices from different parts of India
voices from different parts of India from different people a blind professor
from different people a blind professor
from different people a blind professor once told me that a railway ticket
once told me that a railway ticket
once told me that a railway ticket examiner refused to believe that he was
examiner refused to believe that he was
examiner refused to believe that he was blind yes enough used to believe that he
blind yes enough used to believe that he
blind yes enough used to believe that he was blind simply because he spoke
was blind simply because he spoke
was blind simply because he spoke English well blind people don’t speak
English well blind people don’t speak
English well blind people don’t speak English I guess a young lady once called
English I guess a young lady once called
English I guess a young lady once called me up from Ludhiana she was a lady of
me up from Ludhiana she was a lady of
me up from Ludhiana she was a lady of calm ologist
calm ologist
calm ologist an eye doctor and she wanted advice on
an eye doctor and she wanted advice on
an eye doctor and she wanted advice on how to bring up her blind son I thought
how to bring up her blind son I thought
how to bring up her blind son I thought doctors do everything once I was on a
doctors do everything once I was on a
doctors do everything once I was on a meeting with a bureaucrat and somewhere
meeting with a bureaucrat and somewhere
meeting with a bureaucrat and somewhere suddenly the bureaucrat stops and said
suddenly the bureaucrat stops and said
suddenly the bureaucrat stops and said mr. Abraham I thought you were blind I
mr. Abraham I thought you were blind I
mr. Abraham I thought you were blind I said yes he said how come you’re working
said yes he said how come you’re working
said yes he said how come you’re working on a computer
on a computer
on a computer and I just thought to myself the
and I just thought to myself the
and I just thought to myself the bureaucrats who define design policies
bureaucrats who define design policies
bureaucrats who define design policies programs for India do not seem to be
programs for India do not seem to be
programs for India do not seem to be aware of what is possible and what’s
aware of what is possible and what’s
aware of what is possible and what’s available a friend of mine a blind lady
available a friend of mine a blind lady
available a friend of mine a blind lady once told me something very very
once told me something very very
once told me something very very stunning she said when I was two some
stunning she said when I was two some
stunning she said when I was two some people in the community suggested that
people in the community suggested that
people in the community suggested that my parents should get rid of me would
my parents should get rid of me would
my parents should get rid of me would you call it sensitive or would you call
you call it sensitive or would you call
you call it sensitive or would you call it insensitive this friend of mine from
it insensitive this friend of mine from
it insensitive this friend of mine from merit in Uttar Pradesh he said when he
merit in Uttar Pradesh he said when he
merit in Uttar Pradesh he said when he had finished class 12 he told his father
had finished class 12 he told his father
had finished class 12 he told his father that he wanted to pursue higher
that he wanted to pursue higher
that he wanted to pursue higher education and his father says why would
education and his father says why would
education and his father says why would you want to study you have food you have
you want to study you have food you have
you want to study you have food you have clothing you have shelter what else do
clothing you have shelter what else do
clothing you have shelter what else do you want and then he asked his father
you want and then he asked his father
you want and then he asked his father why do other people study and he was
why do other people study and he was
why do other people study and he was told that they need to become Chartered
told that they need to become Chartered
told that they need to become Chartered Accountants they need to become
Accountants they need to become
Accountants they need to become advertising professionals they need to
advertising professionals they need to
advertising professionals they need to become bureaucrats and so on and so
become bureaucrats and so on and so
become bureaucrats and so on and so forth
forth
forth so this guy said well then let me do it
so this guy said well then let me do it
so this guy said well then let me do it let me devise my own way forward so the
let me devise my own way forward so the
let me devise my own way forward so the point here is that there is very very
point here is that there is very very
point here is that there is very very low expectations from people who are
low expectations from people who are
low expectations from people who are blind there is very little in terms of
blind there is very little in terms of
blind there is very little in terms of understanding what is possible the
understanding what is possible the
understanding what is possible the awareness levels are low the ignorance
awareness levels are low the ignorance
awareness levels are low the ignorance is widespread and then there is a
is widespread and then there is a
is widespread and then there is a question mark on attitude and this
question mark on attitude and this
question mark on attitude and this pushes the blind people into the fringes
pushes the blind people into the fringes
pushes the blind people into the fringes of our community 20% of the world’s
of our community 20% of the world’s
of our community 20% of the world’s blind population live in India the World
blind population live in India the World
blind population live in India the World Health Organization says the numbers are
Health Organization says the numbers are
Health Organization says the numbers are 62 million the activists say the numbers
62 million the activists say the numbers
62 million the activists say the numbers of 42 million while the 2011 census say
of 42 million while the 2011 census say
of 42 million while the 2011 census say the numbers are somewhere around 5.4
the numbers are somewhere around 5.4
the numbers are somewhere around 5.4 million whatever be the correct figure
million whatever be the correct figure
million whatever be the correct figure the numbers are huge and the majority of
the numbers are huge and the majority of
the numbers are huge and the majority of these blind people are pushed and they
these blind people are pushed and they
these blind people are pushed and they live in the margins of our society
well my forays into the life at
well my forays into the life at blindness is not all about glue
blindness is not all about glue
blindness is not all about glue doom Erik Weihenmayer at 5:00 became
doom Erik Weihenmayer at 5:00 became
doom Erik Weihenmayer at 5:00 became blind at 13 he went for a rock-climbing
blind at 13 he went for a rock-climbing
blind at 13 he went for a rock-climbing camp and then he comes and tells his
camp and then he comes and tells his
camp and then he comes and tells his parents my dream is to become a
parents my dream is to become a
parents my dream is to become a professional Mountaineer the parent says
professional Mountaineer the parent says
professional Mountaineer the parent says oh no but then he was firm and the
oh no but then he was firm and the
oh no but then he was firm and the parents had given and believe me ladies
parents had given and believe me ladies
parents had given and believe me ladies and gentlemen Erik Weihenmayer is one of
and gentlemen Erik Weihenmayer is one of
and gentlemen Erik Weihenmayer is one of 100 odd people in this world who can
100 odd people in this world who can
100 odd people in this world who can proudly claim I have climbed the tallest
proudly claim I have climbed the tallest
proudly claim I have climbed the tallest mountain peak in every continent
mountain peak in every continent
mountain peak in every continent including Mount Everest on the 26th of
including Mount Everest on the 26th of
including Mount Everest on the 26th of May 2001 David Blunkett went blind when
May 2001 David Blunkett went blind when
May 2001 David Blunkett went blind when he was six he developed a very close
he was six he developed a very close
he was six he developed a very close interest in politics finished his
interest in politics finished his
interest in politics finished his education went on to do political
education went on to do political
education went on to do political science joined the Labour Party won
science joined the Labour Party won
science joined the Labour Party won elections and finally became the Home
elections and finally became the Home
elections and finally became the Home Secretary in Tony Blair’s cabinet
Secretary in Tony Blair’s cabinet
Secretary in Tony Blair’s cabinet passion ambition drove him to the top of
passion ambition drove him to the top of
passion ambition drove him to the top of the political ladder coming to India
the political ladder coming to India
the political ladder coming to India Bunker’s Sinha was a young lawyer a law
Bunker’s Sinha was a young lawyer a law
Bunker’s Sinha was a young lawyer a law graduate he was looking for a job to
graduate he was looking for a job to
graduate he was looking for a job to begin with every door that he turned to
begin with every door that he turned to
begin with every door that he turned to seemed to be closing on him so he
seemed to be closing on him so he
seemed to be closing on him so he decided to visit the police station just
decided to visit the police station just
decided to visit the police station just close to his house he offered to write
close to his house he offered to write
close to his house he offered to write bail applications for the prisoners who
bail applications for the prisoners who
bail applications for the prisoners who were coming there he would write three
were coming there he would write three
were coming there he would write three and four bail applications every day
and four bail applications every day
and four bail applications every day charge then 300 or 400 bucks made enough
charge then 300 or 400 bucks made enough
charge then 300 or 400 bucks made enough money six months down the line one of
money six months down the line one of
money six months down the line one of the prisoners said sir
the prisoners said sir
the prisoners said sir would you like to represent me in court
would you like to represent me in court
would you like to represent me in court thus began Pankaj Senna’s journey in the
thus began Pankaj Senna’s journey in the
thus began Pankaj Senna’s journey in the court ladies and gentlemen today mr.
court ladies and gentlemen today mr.
court ladies and gentlemen today mr. Pankaj Sinha has a chamber in the Delhi
Pankaj Sinha has a chamber in the Delhi
Pankaj Sinha has a chamber in the Delhi High Court
sunjai dang a passionate lover of travel
sunjai dang a passionate lover of travel he supporters he set up a travel company
he supporters he set up a travel company
he supporters he set up a travel company Siddharth Sharma again blind because of
Siddharth Sharma again blind because of
Siddharth Sharma again blind because of an accident a pure professional there
an accident a pure professional there
an accident a pure professional there are people like Madhubala Sharma who are
are people like Madhubala Sharma who are
are people like Madhubala Sharma who are corporate trainers Preity manga is an HR
corporate trainers Preity manga is an HR
corporate trainers Preity manga is an HR professional and and and an Arabic
professional and and and an Arabic
professional and and and an Arabic instructor so when you look at these
instructor so when you look at these
instructor so when you look at these examples the questions that come to mind
examples the questions that come to mind
examples the questions that come to mind is is the problem really with the
is is the problem really with the
is is the problem really with the blindness or is it with our thinking
blindness or is it with our thinking
blindness or is it with our thinking it’s the problem really with our
it’s the problem really with our
it’s the problem really with our blindness or is it with the thinking if
blindness or is it with the thinking if
blindness or is it with the thinking if you look at these lives what drove them
you look at these lives what drove them
you look at these lives what drove them forward was not their blindness what
forward was not their blindness what
forward was not their blindness what define their lives was not their
define their lives was not their
define their lives was not their blindness it was passion it was ambition
blindness it was passion it was ambition
blindness it was passion it was ambition it was a positive attitude and it was
it was a positive attitude and it was
it was a positive attitude and it was also that very very magical word
also that very very magical word
also that very very magical word innovation people innovated and they
innovation people innovated and they
innovation people innovated and they achieved they went forward you know a
achieved they went forward you know a
achieved they went forward you know a few years ago I was with a cricket match
few years ago I was with a cricket match
few years ago I was with a cricket match for the blind in am the bird and it was
for the blind in am the bird and it was
for the blind in am the bird and it was the finals of the national tournament
the finals of the national tournament
the finals of the national tournament and there was a group of people who came
and there was a group of people who came
and there was a group of people who came in to watch spectators they had all come
in to watch spectators they had all come
in to watch spectators they had all come there with curiosity as to how blind
there with curiosity as to how blind
there with curiosity as to how blind people would play cricket
people would play cricket
people would play cricket but once the match began the curiosity
but once the match began the curiosity
but once the match began the curiosity was transformed into cricket people
was transformed into cricket people
was transformed into cricket people wanted to what the score was people
wanted to what the score was people
wanted to what the score was people wanted to know how much a particular
wanted to know how much a particular
wanted to know how much a particular batsman had scored he wanted to know
batsman had scored he wanted to know
batsman had scored he wanted to know what the run rate was and so on and so
what the run rate was and so on and so
what the run rate was and so on and so forth cricket took over ability took
forth cricket took over ability took
forth cricket took over ability took over performance took over there was a
over performance took over there was a
over performance took over there was a shift from the disability blindness to
shift from the disability blindness to
shift from the disability blindness to the ability ladies and gentlemen I think
the ability ladies and gentlemen I think
the ability ladies and gentlemen I think it’s time we stopped being obsessed with
it’s time we stopped being obsessed with
it’s time we stopped being obsessed with the blindness the problem most of us
the blindness the problem most of us
the blindness the problem most of us face of parents or teachers or
face of parents or teachers or
face of parents or teachers or politicians or bureaucrats all of us
politicians or bureaucrats all of us
politicians or bureaucrats all of us face is our obsession when we meet a
face is our obsession when we meet a
face is our obsession when we meet a blind man is the obsession with the
blind man is the obsession with the
blind man is the obsession with the blindness to the extent that we become
blindness to the extent that we become
blindness to the extent that we become blind to the person we don’t just
blind to the person we don’t just
blind to the person we don’t just recognize the person
recognize the person
recognize the person who
who
who has various attributes which can be
has various attributes which can be
has various attributes which can be useful to the community and often used
useful to the community and often used
useful to the community and often used word these days is inclusion we talk
word these days is inclusion we talk
word these days is inclusion we talk about inclusive India we talk about
about inclusive India we talk about
about inclusive India we talk about inclusion development we talk about
inclusion development we talk about
inclusion development we talk about inclusive education inclusive
inclusive education inclusive
inclusive education inclusive programming inclusive design so on and
programming inclusive design so on and
programming inclusive design so on and so forth I believe inclusion cannot be
so forth I believe inclusion cannot be
so forth I believe inclusion cannot be enforced by legislation inclusion cannot
enforced by legislation inclusion cannot
enforced by legislation inclusion cannot be brought about by enforcement
be brought about by enforcement
be brought about by enforcement directorates inclusion happens
directorates inclusion happens
directorates inclusion happens organically inclusion is about
organically inclusion is about
organically inclusion is about empowerment inclusion is about
empowerment inclusion is about
empowerment inclusion is about contribution such an Tendulkar was one
contribution such an Tendulkar was one
contribution such an Tendulkar was one of India’s top cricketers all of us have
of India’s top cricketers all of us have
of India’s top cricketers all of us have toasted him for years but the day he
toasted him for years but the day he
toasted him for years but the day he stopped performing the day when his
stopped performing the day when his
stopped performing the day when his contributions to the Indian teams cause
contributions to the Indian teams cause
contributions to the Indian teams cause started dropping there were murmurs
started dropping there were murmurs
started dropping there were murmurs around the country why is this man claim
around the country why is this man claim
around the country why is this man claim the greatest of people who have
the greatest of people who have
the greatest of people who have performed at the highest level when they
performed at the highest level when they
performed at the highest level when they stopped contributing they are out of the
stopped contributing they are out of the
stopped contributing they are out of the team but he start contributing you
team but he start contributing you
team but he start contributing you become part of the team
become part of the team
become part of the team so the mantra to inclusion is about
so the mantra to inclusion is about
so the mantra to inclusion is about empowerment and contribution and maybe a
empowerment and contribution and maybe a
empowerment and contribution and maybe a second a third factor would be relevance
second a third factor would be relevance
second a third factor would be relevance couldn’t Appa Vishwanath and Sunil
couldn’t Appa Vishwanath and Sunil
couldn’t Appa Vishwanath and Sunil Gavaskar were great cricketers in the
Gavaskar were great cricketers in the
Gavaskar were great cricketers in the 1970s we hear of Sunil Gavaskar
1970s we hear of Sunil Gavaskar
1970s we hear of Sunil Gavaskar even today he was a cricketer scored 29
even today he was a cricketer scored 29
even today he was a cricketer scored 29 34 odd centuries he moved into becoming
34 odd centuries he moved into becoming
34 odd centuries he moved into becoming a commentator a writer a television
a commentator a writer a television
a commentator a writer a television professional we still no single Gavaskar
professional we still no single Gavaskar
professional we still no single Gavaskar we do follow him we do admire him they
we do follow him we do admire him they
we do follow him we do admire him they are all there are many fans for Sunil
are all there are many fans for Sunil
are all there are many fans for Sunil Gavaskar but I’m sure the present
Gavaskar but I’m sure the present
Gavaskar but I’m sure the present generation might not even know who wound
generation might not even know who wound
generation might not even know who wound up efficient at was so it is about
up efficient at was so it is about
up efficient at was so it is about relevance constantly reinventing
relevance constantly reinventing
relevance constantly reinventing ourselves and I believe there is room if
ourselves and I believe there is room if
ourselves and I believe there is room if we shift from blindness to abilities and
we shift from blindness to abilities and
we shift from blindness to abilities and talent and the person of the blind
talent and the person of the blind
talent and the person of the blind person you would suddenly find that
person you would suddenly find that
person you would suddenly find that blind people actually start becoming
blind people actually start becoming
blind people actually start becoming irrelevant to
irrelevant to
irrelevant to community to our families finally I
community to our families finally I
community to our families finally I would like to say looking at the various
would like to say looking at the various
would like to say looking at the various professionals that we talked about over
professionals that we talked about over
professionals that we talked about over the years in the previous sections we
the years in the previous sections we
the years in the previous sections we talked about the various the Mountaineer
talked about the various the Mountaineer
talked about the various the Mountaineer the lawyers and so on they are
the lawyers and so on they are
the lawyers and so on they are definitely part of the human resource of
definitely part of the human resource of
definitely part of the human resource of India if they could be part of the human
India if they could be part of the human
India if they could be part of the human resource of India why not the others we
resource of India why not the others we
resource of India why not the others we need to invest in them we need to invest
need to invest in them we need to invest
need to invest in them we need to invest in quality education you know when
in quality education you know when
in quality education you know when narendra modi sahaba had declared skill
narendra modi sahaba had declared skill
narendra modi sahaba had declared skill india in in in 2014 I was excited and I
india in in in 2014 I was excited and I
india in in in 2014 I was excited and I decided to start a skilling program and
decided to start a skilling program and
decided to start a skilling program and we interviewed close to 40 or 400
we interviewed close to 40 or 400
we interviewed close to 40 or 400 visually impaired people from the North
visually impaired people from the North
visually impaired people from the North universities in the north and what we
universities in the north and what we
universities in the north and what we discovered was 80% of them were not
discovered was 80% of them were not
discovered was 80% of them were not employable neither whether trainable a
employable neither whether trainable a
employable neither whether trainable a big question mark on the quality of
big question mark on the quality of
big question mark on the quality of education we need to seriously look at
education we need to seriously look at
education we need to seriously look at the quality of education that blind
the quality of education that blind
the quality of education that blind people blind young people receive in
people blind young people receive in
people blind young people receive in this country so in West because they are
this country so in West because they are
this country so in West because they are human resource it’s not about charity
human resource it’s not about charity
human resource it’s not about charity they are part of the human resource we
they are part of the human resource we
they are part of the human resource we need to stop looking at providing for
need to stop looking at providing for
need to stop looking at providing for them instead in Western them so parents
them instead in Western them so parents
them instead in Western them so parents teachers and countrymen lend me your
teachers and countrymen lend me your
teachers and countrymen lend me your ears kindness I’m not done I’m not done
ears kindness I’m not done I’m not done
ears kindness I’m not done I’m not done I like to repeat now parents teachers
I like to repeat now parents teachers
I like to repeat now parents teachers and countrymen lend me your ears every
and countrymen lend me your ears every
and countrymen lend me your ears every blind person in India is part of the
blind person in India is part of the
blind person in India is part of the human resource of the country in Western
human resource of the country in Western
human resource of the country in Western them yes in Western them don’t just
them yes in Western them don’t just
them yes in Western them don’t just provide for them thank you
”
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