Take a sneak peek into the days of October at BRA.
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Diwali Bazar starts! 29 Oct, 2018
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Popularly known as the 'Blind School Diwali Bazar', the most awaited annual event of the Blind Relief Association started on 29 October with a lot of excitement and mirth.
This shoppers' paradise hosts over 250 stalls of local vendors exhibiting and selling a wide range of attractive traditional crafts, designer wear, home decor, garden material among various other diverse gift items. The bazar has also provided free space for NGOs to sell the products and educate the public about their services.
However, the prime attraction of the entire bazar is the candles & diyas in more than 70 varieties, paper and cloth products, all made by the visually challenged trainees and workers of the Blind Relief Association.
A special attraction is the relaxation massage given to the visitors by the visually challenged masseurs trained at the
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Association. In collaboration with Foster & Forger Foundation, the trainees also handle two stations by themselves, 'Do It yourself' and 'Story-telling Tent' where the trainees perform papier-mache crafts and narrate stories respectively. The trainees have been practicing story-telling under the guidance of Ms. Shristi Popli, from Foster & Forge Foundation for two months. The trainees grouped in teams narrate two stories developed by them, उल्टा पुल्टा प्लेनेट and ‘Once upon a tree.’ The Story-telling Tent has been a major hit this year, with several media coverages exclusively on this stall.
With 4 more days to go the Bazar has already witnessed an abundant footfall. Though the bazar has been organised regularly since 1980, the excitement has only been reaching greater heights this year.
The Diwali Bazar is on till 4 November, 2018.
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Let's take a Gandhi walk Oct 2, 2018
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When the students and trainees of the Blind Relief Association dressed up and were ready for the Gandhi walk organized on the commencement of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, no one anticipated what the day would bring.
‘Bapu’ believed in the fundamental truth of all great religions in the world. The students & trainees took a Gandhi walk to five different religious places of worship in Delhi, to experience the diversity of the beliefs and unity of core values.
The group assembled at 7:00 AM at Shantiniketan of the BRA premises to listen to the importance of the day from Shri. K. C. Pande, the Executive Secretary. After a brief speech and singing
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of ‘Ram Dhun’ by the students, the 10 km tour kicked off from the premises, led by a school student dressed as Mahatma Gandhi.
The students, accompanied by the staff and volunteers paired up and walked towards Gurudwara Damdama Sahib and later to Chillah Hazarat Nizamuddin Mosque, Judah Hyam Synagogue, Sri Ram Mandir and Centenary Methodist Church.
At each place of worship, the students and trainees interacted with the public and the priests and learnt about the religion and the worship practice. The group also involved in prayers at each place and was exposed to locations they had never been before.
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Life of Gandhi in tactile materials 3 Oct, 2018
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Unlike “Please don’t touch” that poses in front of any exhibition article, all materials brought by Siddhant Shah from Access for All said “Please touch”
The vocational center trainees were learning the life of Gandhi through tactile materials depicting his values, charkha, Dandi march, meditation and his trademark round eye-glasses and sandals.
Siddhant Shah is not a new person to B.R.A and it’s trainees. With frequent visits to conduct various workshops, Shah
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was on campus on 3 October to teach the trainees about Gandhi and his life. The trainees grouped in pairs felt the tactile materials and interacted with Siddhant Shah about Mahatma Gandhi.
One of the trainees was dressed like Gandhi by Siddhant Shah. Trying out the round glasses of Gandhi, few trainees also enacted speeches like Gandhi. With individual attention on each trainee, this tactile method of knowing Gandhi was definitely a new experience for the trainees.
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Bronze from the Asian Para Games 2018! 11 Oct, 2018
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Avnil Kumar, a young and spirited athlete nurtured by Indian Blind Sports Association and trained by its chief coach Dr. Satyapal Singh won the bronze medal in 400 m race at the Asian Para Games held at Jakarta, Indonesia.
With a timing of 52 seconds, Avnil stood third in the T13 category that deals with visual impairment. Avnil is a graduate in B.A. Programme from Ramjas College, University of Delhi. He has previously
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participated and won in a number of national and international events such as IBSA World Games at Korea ( 2015), Malaysia Open Championship (2012), Sharjah International Para-athletics Championship (2018) etc.
Avnil was one of the 8 athletes sponsored by USHA International under the campaign ‘Vision 2020.’ Avnil along with other para athletes called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16 October, 2018.
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Junior Run New Delhi 14 Oct, 2018
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18 students from JPM Senior Secondary School participated in the Junior Run Marathon in New Delhi on 14 October.
This year, being the third edition of Junior Run in New Delhi was a 3 km marathon for participants under 18. JUNIORUN is a multi-city running event exclusively
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designed for children of all age groups to raise awareness and promote fitness. In an attempt to bring changes in today's technology driven centennials Junior Run provides a platform to encourage healthy lifestyle.
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Boys from JPM Senior Secondary School stood second (Sub-Junior level) and first (Junior level) in a Yoga competition conducted by the Directorate of Education on 15 October, 2018 at SKV Pandara Road.
This zonal level competition (Zone-26) was held for government, aided and public schools.
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The winners will be participating in the next inter-zonal competition. The boys also got a chance to present Yoga at the opening ceremony of New Delhi district level Sports Meet at Thyagaraj Stadium on 25 October.
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Felicitation of B.R.A at book launch 16 Oct, 2018
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The Blind Relief Association was felicitated at the book release program of Shri Vijay Phalnikar’s autobiography ‘From Darkness to Light’ at the Constituition Club of India on 16 October, 2018.
The event organized by Pudhache Paul, a group of Maharashtrian officers in Delhi released the autobiography in 4 languages, namely Gujarati, Marathi, Hindi, English and in Braille. The evening started with a cultural programme by Dhanashree Apte & team on epic poems of Veer Savarkar. On behalf of the B.R.A, Executive
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Secretary Mr. K.C. Pande received the Braille version of the book along with a contribution from Apala Ghar, NGO based in Pune founded & headed by Shri Vijay Phalnikar which provides shelter to the destitute.
Apala Ghar was started in 2002, when Shri Vijay Phalnikar lost his son to leukemia. The endeavor which started with free ambulance service, then grew to a home for economically backward orphans. This further developed to a vocational training center, rural hospital, home for the destitute, guest cottages, staff quarters and a temple in 2007.
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Dhai Letter Writing Competition 30 Oct, 2018
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The Dhai Akhar Letter Writing Competition was organized in JPM Senior Secondary School on 30 October conducted by the Department of Posts.
17 students from classes VII to XII participated in the competition and wrote letters in Braille. This was conducted during the ongoing Diwali Bazar in the Blind Relief Association, where India Post has set up a stall to educate the public on the recent developments in the postal system.
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In an attempt to inculcate the habit of letter writing and create a new vision towards the philately amongst children, this national level competition was held in schools across the country. The theme of the letter writing competition is ‘Letter to my Motherland’ inspired by Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Amar Deshar Mati.’
The best three entries will be awarded a prize of Rs. 25000, Rs. 10000 & Rs. 5000 at circle level and Rs. 50000, Rs. 25000 & Rs. 10000 at national level.
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The Blind Relief Association is thankful to Mercer, Interglobe and Indigo for their volunteering services during this month
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