Kiran Khetmalas, born with congenital cataracts in a small village in Maharashtra, faced numerous obstacles in pursuing education and employment due to his visual impairment and financial constraints.

Diagnosed with cataracts at age five, he underwent initial treatment, but his family couldn't afford continued medical care. Within six months, he lost his vision completely and had to leave school. Later, with the help of a resource teacher—a specialised educator who supports students with disabilities by providing tailored instruction and assistive learning techniques—Kiran resumed his education. With their guidance, he adapted to accessibility tools and regained confidence in his studies.

His journey with assistive technology began in 8th and 9th grades when he received screen reader training from NAB Mumbai. Determined to continue learning, he enrolled in a Marathi-medium mainstream school, completing his 10th and 12th grades.
 

Undeterred, Kiran pursued a Bachelor of Computer Applications, constantly proving his capabilities in this technical field. Recognizing similar struggles faced by other blind students, he established a resource center to provide computer training, which strengthened his own skills.

After graduation, Kiran secured a position as a Sorting Assistant in Gramin Dak Sevak. Unfortunately, his assigned duties were incompatible with his visual impairment, jeopardizing his employment despite his qualifications in computer-based tasks.

Kiran reached out to Eyeway, an organization he had known since his school days, for guidance. The Eyeway team informed him that under the RPWD Act of 2016 and DoPT guidelines, he was entitled to reasonable workplace accommodations. They helped him draft a formal request for reassignment.

After four months of persistent follow-up with authorities, Kiran was reassigned to computer-based tasks like barcode scanning—enabling him to work effectively in a role suited to his expertise.

Team Eyeway