when I was three months old my mom realized I had a vision issue she took
realized I had a vision issue she took
realized I had a vision issue she took me to an ophthalmologist because I was
me to an ophthalmologist because I was
me to an ophthalmologist because I was not making eye contact she soon learned
not making eye contact she soon learned
not making eye contact she soon learned that this vision issue is incurable
that this vision issue is incurable
that this vision issue is incurable she equipped me with skills like Braille
she equipped me with skills like Braille
she equipped me with skills like Braille and the abacus with guidance from LV
and the abacus with guidance from LV
and the abacus with guidance from LV Prasad Vision rehab department and she
Prasad Vision rehab department and she
Prasad Vision rehab department and she prepared me for school despite the
prepared me for school despite the
prepared me for school despite the initial shock my mom quickly figured out
initial shock my mom quickly figured out
initial shock my mom quickly figured out ways to bring me up just as any other
ways to bring me up just as any other
ways to bring me up just as any other kid she had this perspective that her
kid she had this perspective that her
kid she had this perspective that her child should have the same opportunities
child should have the same opportunities
child should have the same opportunities and experiences as anybody else there’s
and experiences as anybody else there’s
and experiences as anybody else there’s a lot of difference between shoot and
a lot of difference between shoot and
a lot of difference between shoot and wood and my mom believed her child
wood and my mom believed her child
wood and my mom believed her child should have the same opportunities and
should have the same opportunities and
should have the same opportunities and experiences from the very early days I
experiences from the very early days I
experiences from the very early days I can remember and recall my perspective
can remember and recall my perspective
can remember and recall my perspective had been shaped by the love of my family
had been shaped by the love of my family
had been shaped by the love of my family her unconventional decision to put me
her unconventional decision to put me
her unconventional decision to put me into regular schooling transformed my
into regular schooling transformed my
into regular schooling transformed my life phenomenally however almost every
life phenomenally however almost every
life phenomenally however almost every school refused my application or to even
school refused my application or to even
school refused my application or to even talk to her in the first place when all
talk to her in the first place when all
talk to her in the first place when all doors seemed to be closing a newspaper
doors seemed to be closing a newspaper
doors seemed to be closing a newspaper article about Myra Christine and her
article about Myra Christine and her
article about Myra Christine and her school with inclusion ideas Muraki were
school with inclusion ideas Muraki were
school with inclusion ideas Muraki were a fresh breath of air my parents
a fresh breath of air my parents
a fresh breath of air my parents approached her and she readily agreed to
approached her and she readily agreed to
approached her and she readily agreed to give me an admission I finally got into
give me an admission I finally got into
give me an admission I finally got into America merica was this very small
America merica was this very small
America merica was this very small school then and yet they were very
school then and yet they were very
school then and yet they were very supportive this wonderful place
supportive this wonderful place
supportive this wonderful place introduced me to the experience of
introduced me to the experience of
introduced me to the experience of schooling I thoroughly enjoyed it to me
schooling I thoroughly enjoyed it to me
schooling I thoroughly enjoyed it to me merica is actually very big school it
merica is actually very big school it
merica is actually very big school it has place for everybody doesn’t that
has place for everybody doesn’t that
has place for everybody doesn’t that sound familiar to the ideal world that
sound familiar to the ideal world that
sound familiar to the ideal world that we all want
we all want
we all want fast-forward few years I was done with
fast-forward few years I was done with
fast-forward few years I was done with my grade six and I had to change schools
my grade six and I had to change schools
my grade six and I had to change schools a few schools refused my application
a few schools refused my application
a few schools refused my application despite my academic records my parents
despite my academic records my parents
despite my academic records my parents approached Meridian with great anxiety
approached Meridian with great anxiety
approached Meridian with great anxiety just like any other school in the list
just like any other school in the list
just like any other school in the list though she did not know the way forward
though she did not know the way forward
though she did not know the way forward with me the principal of Meridian agreed
with me the principal of Meridian agreed
with me the principal of Meridian agreed to give me an opportunity to study when
to give me an opportunity to study when
to give me an opportunity to study when I was in school
I was in school
I was in school I was not aware of the struggle my
I was not aware of the struggle my
I was not aware of the struggle my family had to go through in parallel my
family had to go through in parallel my
family had to go through in parallel my family made sure I had a very normal
family made sure I had a very normal
family made sure I had a very normal childhood my mom constantly helped me
childhood my mom constantly helped me
childhood my mom constantly helped me experience things around me I’m blessed
experience things around me I’m blessed
experience things around me I’m blessed to be surrounded by people who are
to be surrounded by people who are
to be surrounded by people who are willing to mainstream me over time a
willing to mainstream me over time a
willing to mainstream me over time a number of instances helped me realize
number of instances helped me realize
number of instances helped me realize that I had everything in this world one
that I had everything in this world one
that I had everything in this world one of the profound ones that I remember was
of the profound ones that I remember was
of the profound ones that I remember was when I flew my first kite and I took
when I flew my first kite and I took
when I flew my first kite and I took down the other one the only way for me
down the other one the only way for me
down the other one the only way for me to know where the kite was was with the
to know where the kite was was with the
to know where the kite was was with the string of thread in my hand and my
string of thread in my hand and my
string of thread in my hand and my family enabled me to do it over time
family enabled me to do it over time
family enabled me to do it over time such experiences and sir incidents
such experiences and sir incidents
such experiences and sir incidents helped me experience the lack of want
helped me experience the lack of want
helped me experience the lack of want and this is where the magic of life’s
and this is where the magic of life’s
and this is where the magic of life’s exploration began learning itself has
exploration began learning itself has
exploration began learning itself has not been a very straightforward process
not been a very straightforward process
not been a very straightforward process for me you would learn geometry by
for me you would learn geometry by
for me you would learn geometry by drawing diagrams
drawing diagrams
drawing diagrams I learned the same geometry but by
I learned the same geometry but by
I learned the same geometry but by touching figures constructed by sticking
touching figures constructed by sticking
touching figures constructed by sticking matchsticks and thread on paper you were
matchsticks and thread on paper you were
matchsticks and thread on paper you were busy painting a house on paper while I
busy painting a house on paper while I
busy painting a house on paper while I was busy building one with some clay and
was busy building one with some clay and
was busy building one with some clay and sand you would give you a physics wiva
sand you would give you a physics wiva
sand you would give you a physics wiva by drawing circuit diagrams and
by drawing circuit diagrams and
by drawing circuit diagrams and answering questions I answered the same
answering questions I answered the same
answering questions I answered the same difficult questions and I also
difficult questions and I also
difficult questions and I also identified components like resistors
identified components like resistors
identified components like resistors capacitors and the little hearts cookie
capacitors and the little hearts cookie
capacitors and the little hearts cookie to touch yeah you heard me right
to touch yeah you heard me right
to touch yeah you heard me right I said little hearts cookie I remember
I said little hearts cookie I remember
I said little hearts cookie I remember in my class 12 practical exam my
in my class 12 practical exam my
in my class 12 practical exam my invigilator was handing me these
invigilator was handing me these
invigilator was handing me these components and I was identifying them
components and I was identifying them
components and I was identifying them suddenly he hands me a little hearts
suddenly he hands me a little hearts
suddenly he hands me a little hearts cookie I got it right within a blink of
cookie I got it right within a blink of
cookie I got it right within a blink of an eye and I passed we talked about
an eye and I passed we talked about
an eye and I passed we talked about putting people on Mars we want to put
putting people on Mars we want to put
putting people on Mars we want to put people on Mars but I think we can do a
people on Mars but I think we can do a
people on Mars but I think we can do a lot better for back on earth
lot better for back on earth
lot better for back on earth understanding education for the
understanding education for the
understanding education for the differently-abled improving it through
differently-abled improving it through
differently-abled improving it through technology redefining concepts to learn
technology redefining concepts to learn
technology redefining concepts to learn I never got it done easy at times I
I never got it done easy at times I
I never got it done easy at times I struggled to explain my teachers the
struggled to explain my teachers the
struggled to explain my teachers the slightly different ways of using
slightly different ways of using
slightly different ways of using assistive technology
assistive technology
assistive technology and everyday objects as learning aids to
and everyday objects as learning aids to
and everyday objects as learning aids to teach me certain concepts but their
teach me certain concepts but their
teach me certain concepts but their willingness to quickly learn and adapt
willingness to quickly learn and adapt
willingness to quickly learn and adapt slowly made learning a truly educated
slowly made learning a truly educated
slowly made learning a truly educated experience for me I was into regular
experience for me I was into regular
experience for me I was into regular schooling my friends could have reacted
schooling my friends could have reacted
schooling my friends could have reacted to this in a number of ways they could
to this in a number of ways they could
to this in a number of ways they could have isolated me
have isolated me
have isolated me they could have bullied me but they
they could have bullied me but they
they could have bullied me but they chose to understand the situation and
chose to understand the situation and
chose to understand the situation and include me the first moment of extreme
include me the first moment of extreme
include me the first moment of extreme surprise with the computer was when I
surprise with the computer was when I
surprise with the computer was when I was eight one day I heard my computer
was eight one day I heard my computer
was eight one day I heard my computer speak out my lessons to me I was
speak out my lessons to me I was
speak out my lessons to me I was fascinated over time I realized that
fascinated over time I realized that
fascinated over time I realized that technology can profoundly impact the
technology can profoundly impact the
technology can profoundly impact the quality of lives of people it has
quality of lives of people it has
quality of lives of people it has certainly improved mine a lot of water a
certainly improved mine a lot of water a
certainly improved mine a lot of water a lot of what I do today would have been
lot of what I do today would have been
lot of what I do today would have been possible only in science fiction movies
possible only in science fiction movies
possible only in science fiction movies a decade ago I decided that I wanted to
a decade ago I decided that I wanted to
a decade ago I decided that I wanted to take up a career in computer science but
take up a career in computer science but
take up a career in computer science but unfortunately I was not allowed to
unfortunately I was not allowed to
unfortunately I was not allowed to choose math and science in my class 11
choose math and science in my class 11
choose math and science in my class 11 and 12
and 12
and 12 not because of I’m not because I was not
not because of I’m not because I was not
not because of I’m not because I was not academically capable but only due to the
academically capable but only due to the
academically capable but only due to the fact that I was a visually impaired
fact that I was a visually impaired
fact that I was a visually impaired student I was denied the opportunity to
student I was denied the opportunity to
student I was denied the opportunity to give the air at Ripley the entrance exam
give the air at Ripley the entrance exam
give the air at Ripley the entrance exam for most engineering colleges in India
for most engineering colleges in India
for most engineering colleges in India Institutes disregarded the fact that I
Institutes disregarded the fact that I
Institutes disregarded the fact that I could do a program in engineering and
could do a program in engineering and
could do a program in engineering and denied my admission their reasons varied
denied my admission their reasons varied
denied my admission their reasons varied from I quote engineering can endanger
from I quote engineering can endanger
from I quote engineering can endanger his life too
his life too
his life too this guy just can’t do engineering I
this guy just can’t do engineering I
this guy just can’t do engineering I started to understand that proceeding
started to understand that proceeding
started to understand that proceeding with an admission in an engineering
with an admission in an engineering
with an admission in an engineering college in India is not going to be easy
college in India is not going to be easy
college in India is not going to be easy not because of my academic capabilities
not because of my academic capabilities
not because of my academic capabilities but only due to the misconceptions about
but only due to the misconceptions about
but only due to the misconceptions about vision impairment according to
vision impairment according to
vision impairment according to International Institute of information
International Institute of information
International Institute of information technology Hyderabad based on merit the
technology Hyderabad based on merit the
technology Hyderabad based on merit the decision to give me an admission was
decision to give me an admission was
decision to give me an admission was solely based on merit I’ve done my
solely based on merit I’ve done my
solely based on merit I’ve done my masters by research in computer science
masters by research in computer science
masters by research in computer science focus on accessibility and assistive
focus on accessibility and assistive
focus on accessibility and assistive technology access to mathematical
technology access to mathematical
technology access to mathematical content is a significant challenge for
content is a significant challenge for
content is a significant challenge for people with vision impairment
people with vision impairment
people with vision impairment the research component of my course
the research component of my course
the research component of my course we’ve taken a small yet significant step
we’ve taken a small yet significant step
we’ve taken a small yet significant step towards solving this we’ve proposed and
towards solving this we’ve proposed and
towards solving this we’ve proposed and developed techniques to render
developed techniques to render
developed techniques to render mathematical content in audio in such a
mathematical content in audio in such a
mathematical content in audio in such a way that a visually impaired listener
way that a visually impaired listener
way that a visually impaired listener can understand them experimentation
can understand them experimentation
can understand them experimentation showed that using our techniques
showed that using our techniques
showed that using our techniques visually impaired listeners were able to
visually impaired listeners were able to
visually impaired listeners were able to answer basic math questions with the
answer basic math questions with the
answer basic math questions with the correctness of 95% to put this in
correctness of 95% to put this in
correctness of 95% to put this in perspective this was a meager 30 percent
perspective this was a meager 30 percent
perspective this was a meager 30 percent when the equations are spoken as regular
when the equations are spoken as regular
when the equations are spoken as regular English sentences our work was presented
English sentences our work was presented
English sentences our work was presented and published in the 11th International
and published in the 11th International
and published in the 11th International Conference on natural language
Conference on natural language
Conference on natural language processing and the 30th technology in
processing and the 30th technology in
processing and the 30th technology in persons with disabilities conference
persons with disabilities conference
persons with disabilities conference recently I graduated with flying colors
recently I graduated with flying colors
recently I graduated with flying colors a proud moment for my family hey I got
a proud moment for my family hey I got
a proud moment for my family hey I got this far I after all these years of my
this far I after all these years of my
this far I after all these years of my journey realized that I’m in a position
journey realized that I’m in a position
journey realized that I’m in a position to impact the lives of many more through
to impact the lives of many more through
to impact the lives of many more through my technical contributions I now do this
my technical contributions I now do this
my technical contributions I now do this through an internship with a fantastic
through an internship with a fantastic
through an internship with a fantastic team at Microsoft I don’t look at this
team at Microsoft I don’t look at this
team at Microsoft I don’t look at this as a job but as a fantastic opportunity
as a job but as a fantastic opportunity
as a job but as a fantastic opportunity to improve technology for the
to improve technology for the
to improve technology for the differently abled through my
differently abled through my
differently abled through my contributions perhaps me trying to solve
contributions perhaps me trying to solve
contributions perhaps me trying to solve a challenge that I face every day and
a challenge that I face every day and
a challenge that I face every day and looking at a problem from a user as well
looking at a problem from a user as well
looking at a problem from a user as well as a developer’s perspective has put me
as a developer’s perspective has put me
as a developer’s perspective has put me in this position not every day has been
in this position not every day has been
in this position not every day has been all about studies I have just as much
all about studies I have just as much
all about studies I have just as much fun as anybody in their 20s I enjoy
fun as anybody in their 20s I enjoy
fun as anybody in their 20s I enjoy music not just listening to it I play
music not just listening to it I play
music not just listening to it I play the drums I’ve been a part of couple of
the drums I’ve been a part of couple of
the drums I’ve been a part of couple of rock bands in the city and I’ve also had
rock bands in the city and I’ve also had
rock bands in the city and I’ve also had the chance to share the stage with music
the chance to share the stage with music
the chance to share the stage with music maestro ar-rahman once that was an
maestro ar-rahman once that was an
maestro ar-rahman once that was an overwhelming moment for me my family has
overwhelming moment for me my family has
overwhelming moment for me my family has given me an abundance of experiences
given me an abundance of experiences
given me an abundance of experiences tower jumping the 50th floor of a
tower jumping the 50th floor of a
tower jumping the 50th floor of a building deep-sea diving
building deep-sea diving
building deep-sea diving paragliding horse riding these are just
paragliding horse riding these are just
paragliding horse riding these are just a few of the many amazing experiences
a few of the many amazing experiences
a few of the many amazing experiences I’ve had I’m blessed with a sister who’s
I’ve had I’m blessed with a sister who’s
I’ve had I’m blessed with a sister who’s my friend
my friend
my friend and who’s been very supportive of me
and who’s been very supportive of me
and who’s been very supportive of me through the ups and downs of my life
through the ups and downs of my life
through the ups and downs of my life today it’s very natural for my friends
today it’s very natural for my friends
today it’s very natural for my friends to include me we going to a movie a trip
to include me we going to a movie a trip
to include me we going to a movie a trip or a track getting here is half the fun
or a track getting here is half the fun
or a track getting here is half the fun being here is all of it I stand here
being here is all of it I stand here
being here is all of it I stand here with this bold dream of revolutionizing
with this bold dream of revolutionizing
with this bold dream of revolutionizing assistive technology as we know it today
assistive technology as we know it today
assistive technology as we know it today with advances in the field of computer
with advances in the field of computer
with advances in the field of computer science and newer ways of interacting
science and newer ways of interacting
science and newer ways of interacting with technology there is an ocean of
with technology there is an ocean of
with technology there is an ocean of unexplored possibilities and I’m all set
unexplored possibilities and I’m all set
unexplored possibilities and I’m all set to take a deep dive in technology when
to take a deep dive in technology when
to take a deep dive in technology when designed for everybody can let anybody
designed for everybody can let anybody
designed for everybody can let anybody do what they love including me
do what they love including me
do what they love including me did you know Dragon Dictate voiceover
did you know Dragon Dictate voiceover
did you know Dragon Dictate voiceover automatic captioning and translation for
automatic captioning and translation for
automatic captioning and translation for YouTube videos these are all first
YouTube videos these are all first
YouTube videos these are all first developed as assistive technology and
developed as assistive technology and
developed as assistive technology and later mainstreamed the next time be
later mainstreamed the next time be
later mainstreamed the next time be mindful of where it all began we have to
mindful of where it all began we have to
mindful of where it all began we have to make this world a better place for
make this world a better place for
make this world a better place for everybody and friends we are all in this
everybody and friends we are all in this
everybody and friends we are all in this together thank you
together thank you
together thank you [Music]
[Music]
[Music] you
you
you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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