The Hindu : Taking books to the visually handicapped

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 08, 2002

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National

Taking books to the visually handicapped

By Mahesh Vijapurkar

MUMBAI May 7. Rajan and Kamal, two visually handicapped boys under 10 years of age, were oblivious to the scholarly Gulzar, writer and lyricist, speak of the efforts to support the handicapped live a normal life because they were engrossed in "reading'' a book of tales from the Panchatantra. That it was the boardroom of Central Bank of India, with every senior functionary of the organisation crowding it, did not matter.

The books — just released in Braille with audio cassettes by Gulzar — held them spell bound. They completed reading it before the small function got over and, as they left the place, no one could have missed the smiles on their faces. The Central Bank has financed the project.

Taking books in Braille to the visually handicapped has been the task of Arushi, an NGO based in Delhi. It has been collaborating closely with Gulzar, who has been scripting the Karadi Tales. The books are supported by audio cassettes so that children learn the correct pronunciation. About 1,000 copies of each title will be brought out and distributed.

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