Konnichiwa Madam Kaori Kono

‘Konnichiwa’ was the Japanese greeting that could be heard in every room and corridor of the Blind Relief Association on 8 January. The students and trainees were preparing to welcome Mrs. Kaori Kono, spouse of the Foreign Minister of Japan.

While ‘Konnichiwa’ which means ‘Good day’ was probably the only Japanese term most of the people at B.R.A could speak, it was not so for the suwaru nihongo (Touch Japanese) group of blind students comprising old and current students of JPM School, bankers and researchers who study Japanese language using Japanese Braille. They could speak fluently with Mrs. Kono. In an interaction session with these students, the visitor was impressed by their interest and progress in the language brought by B.R.A in its endeavour to teach Japanese to its students since 2012.

Accompanied by Mrs. Patricia Hiramatsu, wife of the Japanese ambassador to India, Mrs. Kono observed the various programmes run by the Association. She visited the computer training center, call center, multi skill training unit and Durgabai Deshmukh College of Special Education. Mrs. Kono was greatly impressed and interested to know the different paths of skill training and education the visually impaired are involved in.

She then interacted with a group of blind students studying Japanese language. Mrs. Kono was enthralled by the fluency of the students and listened to their concerns on lack of Japanese material in Braille, in India. She also encouraged them to visit Japan for a cultural exchange program.

Mrs. Itsuko Nandi, professionally trained Japanese volunteer and veteran who has been connected with the Blind Relief Association was also present at the discussion. The Blind Relief Association has been organizing Japanese language classes to its students at JPM Senior Secondary School for the Blind with the help of Japanese volunteer teachers ever since 2012. In the year 2016, the Association also took a delegation of students to Japan to give them the opportunity to experience life and culture of Japan. They interacted with the students of Mie Prefectural Blind School which is one of the oldest blind schools in Japan, besides visiting famous places like Ise Grand Shrine, Futami, Mikimoto Pearl Island etc.  

Most of the students who undertook elementary classes in Japanese from the Blind Relief Association have continued to maintain interest in the language and Japan. Deepak Gupta, currently pursuing his M.A (English) from St. Stephen’s College in Delhi is the first visually impaired person to have completed a diploma program in Japanese language from Delhi University.