General

Fun Sighted

Stand-up comedian Sundeep Rao begins poking fun at himself right from the word go. His latest act is called Out of Sight and the irony is obvious because Bangalore-based Rao suffers from a condition of partial blindness. He, however, strongly rejects the notion that he is "suffering", but instead sees his impairment as a silver lining. "I was bitten by an anaconda," says Rao to those who ask him about how he lost partial vision. Waiting some moments for an awkward silence, he breaks into a chuckle and explains, "It is a degenerative condition that I was diagnosed with when I was nine.

India needs more reading tech for visually challenged

Indian libraries currently undergoing book digitisation programme must include a text reading technology for the visually-challenged people, an expert said today.

"Such introduction of technology will help increase the number of books available for reading for blinds, and people with low-vision and print disability," said Dipendra Manocha, Delhi-based representative of Daisy Consortium.

Daisy consortium is a global organisation for creating best ways to read and publish.

Railways to provide Braille signage in coaches for visually impaired passengers

As a part of its social commitment to make the Railways more friendly towards specially abled passengers, Indian Railways has decided to provide Braille stickers in coaches to facilitate visually impaired passengers.

Presently coaches are provided with signage, instructions and seat numbers . which are mostly in the form of vinyl stickers/metallic plates and have no Braille characters and cannot be read by visually impaired passengers. Now it is planned to use stickers with metallic base with printed characters embedded into it.

Jeffrey Archer to turn auctioneer for Tiger Pataudi

LONDON: Bestselling British author Jeffrey Archer, an avid follower of cricket and a big fan of the late Indian cricket captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, will conduct an auction next month on behalf of the Pataudi Trust to raise money for the blind in India. The English and Australian cricket teams, currently playing the Ashes series here, have signed a special bat that will be auctioned along with some rare sporting memorabilia on September 12.

Dad was passionate about donating eyes: Soha Ali Khan

The entire Pataudi family had pledged to donate their cornea several years ago. On August 6 Organ Donation Day organised by The Times of India, Soha Ali Khan talks to us about why the decision wasn't hard to take at all...

Aug 6 meet to review airport checking norms for disabled

Disabled passengers using prosthetic limbs, crutches or wheelchairs, often find security checks at Indian airports very disconcerting, but a move to change all that may be in the offing. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has called for a meeting on August 6 with representatives of organizations working for the rights of disabled, to discuss issues involving security checks of such passengers. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is also reviewing a proposal sent by an organization working on law and policy changes for the disabled, said officials.

Carnegie students conduct research for blind in Bangalore

A group of students from US-based Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) are in India to conduct research projects to benefit the visually impaired under the university's summer internship programme.

An exhibition where you can see nothing!

A casual visit to an exhibition to while away his time in New York turned into a serious lifetime pursuit for S V Krishnan. The entrepreneur, who is using an ‘experiential entertainment hub’ at Inorbit Mall in Hi-Tech City, Hyderabad, to change lives, offers a completely immersive experience in total darkness to give sighted people an opportunity to explore the world through just four senses.

700 deaf, mute to sing national anthem in sign language

Prerna 2013 - a national-level social event organized by the students of M S University's (MSU) Faculty of Technology and Engineering (FTE) is set to make a new record this year. During the two-day annual event - Prerna - the budding engineers of MSU will attempt to register a Limca Book of Records.

The record will be one of its kind in which more than 700 deaf and mute people from every caste, creed and sex will perform the Indian national anthem on the same platform in sign language.

Trade fair for disabled to be held in Delhi

A four-day trade fair aimed at creating awareness about technical advancements in aid, assistive and rehabilitative devices for the people with disabilities will be organised here from Thursday, an official said.

"We are organising Swavlamban, a national fair on aid and assistive devices for people with disabilities, at Pragati Maidan July 25-28," said Stuti Kacker, secretary in the department of disability affairs, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.