In the panel discussion held in the Seminar Hall of Miranda House, Mr. Jaggi among others emphasized the importance of Braille and motivated students with visual disabilities to be proficient in reading and writing Braille.
Nehru Planetarium Visit
Experts from the Nehru Planetarium, New Delhi visited the Blind Relief Association on 9 May 2023 to interact with the JPM School Students and share knowledge on the space. The students got to hear about different stars, the calculation of time, and the moon’s cycles. They also had the opportunity to touch and feel a PSLV model that helped them understand the making and launching of a rocket. The session ended with an enriching Q&A.
Annual Meet
The Durgabai Deshmukh College of Special Education (V.I.) held their fourth Annual Meet on 13 May 2023. From laughter-filled conversations to nostalgic walks down memory lane, it was a heart-warming reunion of old friends and cherished connections.
It was also the moment to express gratitude to their eminent teachers, present amongst them
were venerable Course Director (Emerita) Dr. Swati Sanyal and the present Course Director Dr.Sudeep Kumar Dubey, Mr. Narendra Kumar Jha and Mr. Shanti Bhushan. Chairperson Prof. Balveer Arora graced the occasion with his cheerful presence.
The current batch of B.Ed. students, along with the organizing committee, handled the decoration, registration, stage management, guest hospitality, and other arrangements to make the event a roaring success.
Corporate Volunteering
In the month of May, the Association had various corporates visit and volunteer. The staff of Harvard Business Publishingvolunteered on 20 May 2023, along with their families and children.
Mercer India Pvt. Ltd volunteered in different teams for 4 days. On 24 May, two leaders: Claire Ross – COO of Pacific, Mercer, and Darren Hall – Administration Operations Leader of Pacific, Mercer joined the team. They toured the campus and appreciated the different trainings run for the visually disabled.
Mega Event on Vocational Transition and Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities
A Mega Event on Vocational Transition and Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities was hosted by the Department of Education, Delhi at Thyagaraj Stadium on 26 May 2023, supported by iDreamCareer and Youth4Jobs. Mr. David Absalom, Dy. Executive Secretary(Operations) was invited as one of the panelists to discuss employability of persons with disabilities.
A story of determination and perseverance
Goldi Gupta, hailing from Lakhimpur, Uttar Pradesh, is a determined individual who overcame her challenges as a person with visual impairment to achieve success in her personal and professional life.
She enrolled in the Multi-Skill Training program of the Blind Relief Association in the January - December 2022 batch. Before starting her training,she was a nervous and shy individual with limited English proficiency. However, with
time and ongoing training, she gradually gained confidence and developed a fair understanding of the English language. Her training encompassed various areas, including music, digital literacy, communication skills in addition to sewing, paper crafts, candle making etc.,
“Apart from stitching, which was my favourite part of the training program, I was also introduced to sports, like cricket, at the Association and this helped in my holistic development,” expressed Goldi.
Moreover, her exceptional Braille proficiency enabled her to conduct classes for her visually impaired peers. “Throughout the training program, Goldi's exceptional performance and her willingness to go above and beyond what was expected made her an exemplary trainee, setting a benchmark for others to aspire to," is a sentiment that is shared by her instructors.
Goldi was enrolled in the Pehel program of Youth 4 Jobs Foundation (an NGO partnering with the Blind Relief Association) which helped her prepare for Class XII CBSE exams. Y4J arranged regular coaching sessions, which she diligently attended. Despite juggling her training and exam preparation, Goldi managed to achieve a commendable result of 63%.
Goldi's exceptional abilities and dedication have now helped her secure a job as a Front Desk Executive at the prestigious The Shri Ram School, located in Vasant Vihar, Delhi. Y4J and the Association played instrumental roles in assisting Goldi throughout the placement process, including conducting a sensitization workshop for The Shri Ram School staff.
"Navigating a sighted world with visual impairment has been a journey of perseverance," she reflected, "but I have emerged stronger and more resilient," she concluded, her voice filled with grit.
Cross Disability Training Program
On 30 May 2023, a Cross Disability Training Program for Principal/HoS/Vice Principal and Special Education Teachers with Visual Impairment was organized by the Directorate of Education, Delhi in collaboration with the Blind Relief Association, and Anand Singh Smarka Khel Evam Sanskritik Samiti in the Gandhi Hall of The Blind Relief Association, Delhi.
The Director of Education Mr. Himanshu Gupta, IAS, graced the Inauguration Ceremony as the Chief Guest, and he was accompanied by Mr. Kailash Chand, DDE – IEB, and other officials. They were welcomed by Mr. Kailash Chandra Pande, Executive Secretary, The Blind Relief Association, Mr. Harish Kumar Gulati, General Secretary - Anand Singh Smarka Khel Evam Sanskritik Samiti.
In the Chief Guest's address, Mr. Gupta shared his vision of DoE to extend full support toward catering to the needs of children with visual disabilities. He assured that DoE will take every possible step to provide the best facilities in schools that include providing laptops to special educators, computer training in collaboration with the Blind Relief Association for teachers with visual impairment, such as computer and vocational skill-related cross-disability training through SCERT.
This daylong event was attended by approximately 180 participants comprising Principal/Hos/Vice Principal with visual impairment, special educators with visual impairment, besides the teachers and students of the Blind Relief Association.
The training program was a grand success in motivating, updating, and addressing challenges faced by educators and taking one more step forward toward inclusiveness.
Farewell to B.Ed Trainees
'Yaadein' a farewell for the departing batch of 2021–23 was organized on 31 May by the first-year students of Durgabai Deshmukh College of Special Education. The gathering was addressed by Mr. KC Pande, Dr. Sudeep Dubey, Dr. Swati Sanyal, and Mr. Shanti Bhushan. The students reminisced about the wonderful experiences they had and urged their juniors to remain motivated. The first-year students also organized cultural programs and games.
Remembering the Founders
It was 65 years ago that Mrs. Anusuyabai Basrurker, who along with her husband Mr. Umesh Anand Basrurker founded the Blind Relief Association, passed away on 4 June 1958. To gratefully remember and pay tributes to Mrs. Basrurker on her 65th "Punyatithi" a Havan was performed in the Association on 4 June '23.
World Environment Day
On World Environment Day, Mr. K. C. Pande, Hony. Executive Secretary of The Blind Relief Association Delhi interacted with the vocational trainees on environmental issues and discussed ways to switch to eco-friendly activities.
The topics varied from the cause-and-effect cycle between excessive consumerism and the resulting wastage, and how our desire for new
possessions creates more waste. The trainees learned about the 3Rs - Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. He also introduced them to the 31 species of trees on the Association’s own campus.
The trainees were very enthusiastic and actively participated in the session. Jyoti Mahananda, one of our trainees demonstrated a unique tea/coffee service tray designed which was made out of discarded box of sweets and shared his innovative creations with the rest.
Another Book by Dr. Manoj
The author in the house, Dr. Manoj Kumar, a teacher at the JPM Senior Secondary School for the Blind, published his new and fifth book - ‘Premchand ke Dalit evam Shoshit Patroon ki Muk Vedana’ ’ (प्रेमचंद के दलित एवं शोषित पात्रों की मूक वेदना), pub. Amatara Publications, Delhi.The work tries to measure the depth of inequality spread in today's society by psychoanalyzing the Dalit and exploited characters of Premchand, demanding social justice for the victims.
International Yoga Day
With great enthusiasm and inclusivity, International Yoga Day was celebrated at the premises of the Blind Relief Association on 21 June 2023.
The chief guest for the event Mr. Madan Lal MLA - Kasturba Nagar in his address spoke on the importance of yoga for persons with visual impairment. Following his speech, the visually impaired trainees of the Association took part in a mass yoga drill. They were trained by Mr. Pankaj Rustagi from Nature's Healing Trust for two weeks on different yoga techniques and the session included a combination of gentle yoga asanas, breathing exercises, and meditation techniques.
The other guests were Dr. Aparna Gautam, Founder of Nature's Healing Trust; Mr. Pankaj Rustagi, and Acharya Suresh Dutt Sharma. From the Association, Mr. K.C. Pande, Mr. Kamalbir Singh Jaggi, and Mr. David Absalom along with other staff members were present.
Also, as the second part of IYD programme, Durgabai Deshmukh College of Special Education organized an enlightening session on the theme "Yoga for All Abilities" featuring Dr. Vikram Singh, Director of Sports at Jawaharlal Nehru University as its speaker.
Emphasizing the notion that a person's disability should not hinder their practice of yoga and other meditational exercises, Dr. Singh enlightened the attendees about the transformative power of Yoga, not just for physical well-being but also for mental and emotional balance. He also demonstrated some breathing techniques which allowed the attendees to actively participate with him. Dr. Singh stressed the significance of adopting a holistic approach to health, which includes a balanced diet, sufficient sleep, and stress management techniques
Laptop for the Topper
Sumit Mahto's outstanding performance in Diploma in Computer Education (V.I.) earned him the well-deserved first position. The recognition for his accomplishment came in the form of a reward—a laptop gifted to him by Mrs. Prabhjot Menon.
For almost a decade, Mrs. Menon has been
gifting a laptop to the topper of the batch in memory of her dear mother late Mrs. Gurjit Mehta - a donor and well-wisher of the Blind Relief Association. Since this year, Mrs. Prabhjot Menon could not visit India, the laptop was handed over to Sumit on her behalf by Mr. Pande, Executive Secretary, and Mr. Kamalbir Singh, Head - Academia, Planning & Research on 23 June '23.
Eager to inspire others, Sumit generously shared his personal journey, highlighting the numerous hurdles he had conquered along the way. His story deeply resonated with other visually impaired students.
Helen Keller Day
Commemorating the birth anniversary of Helen Keller, the Blind Relief Association, Delhi (BRAD) in collaboration with the National Association for the Blind, Delhi organised ‘Helen Keller Day’ at the premises of the Blind Relief Association on 27 June 2023. Mrs. Nandita Sharan, Principal, MDU, NAB graced the occasion as the guest of honour. Students and trainees from both BRAD and NAB along with staff and volunteers enthusiastically participated.
Various programs were organized during the day to promote disability awareness. One of these was a performance of a street play (नुक्कड़ नाटक) by the trainees of DDCSE, while another activity involved creating posters and communication cards. Furthermore, the trainees were challenged to identify familiar kitchen ingredients while blindfolded.
Following these activities, a short film on 'deaf-blindness' by NAB was screened. Subsequently, Pushpa, a student with visual and hearing disability from NAB, delivered a captivating sign language song performance, receiving warm applause from the audience. The day emphasized the importance of disability awareness, inclusivity, and embracing diversity.
Graduation & Farewell
30 June marked a joyous day for the computer trainees completing their training at the Blind Relief Association. The day saw a joint graduation and farewell of two batches.
One batch consisted of 7 students who completed a 2-month Basic Computer Training course, while the second batch consisted of
10 students who completed a 6-month Basic Computer and Office Operations course. Mr. K C Pande, Executive Secretary awarded the trainees their certificates.
Each trainee shared their experience over the past few months and reminisced the joyous memories they made with their friends at the Association. They expressed how the time here had made them more confident and provided them with the skills to build a future for themselves.
The students discussed their aspirations and the steps they were taking to achieve them, highlighting how the Association played a crucial role in supporting their goals.
