Silver Jubilee Convention Blind Graduates forum of India Silver jubilee convention of Blind graduates forum of India was held at Dhananjayrav Gadgil Institute of cooperative management, Nagpur, on October 2 and 3, 2010.
About fifty delegates from Nagpur and outside actively participated in the convention. Dr. Shirish Deshpande, professor and head department of Post graduate teaching department of Law, Rashtra Sant tukdoji maharaj Nagpur University and himself a Visually challenged, delivered the keyhnote address in the inaugural session. He delineated the importance of political and legal process in improving the life conditions of visually challenged apart from social and economic opportunities. He particularly emphasized the value of access to education and urged the government and civil society to take a holistic approach towards it including accessibility to institutions inform of non discriminatory admissions suitable infrastructure, study material, transport and legitimate assistance. He also called upon all stake holders to contribute actively in formation of a new disability statute. Mr. Neeraj Saksena, Hon. Secretary of BGFI, recounted history of the organization with special emphasis on the proactive and continuing nature of its activities particularly towards personality development of the blind and called upon young generation to continue the legacy for betterment of the blind. Mr. Avinash Sanghvi, the working president of Saksham, declared that there is a synergy among all working in the field of disability and assured to work together in future as well for useful projects. Rajesh Asudani, vice president, delivered the presidential remarks in absence of president Mr. Harish Kotian due to inevitable reasons. The post lunch session was characterized by unmatched vibrancy and interaction. Some technocrats from Pune demonstrated various educational products including much-awaited Hindi Optical character recognition software. It is expected to be available very soon. Mr. David from Vijayawada spoke on how proficiency in language can create various opportunities for visually challenged. Dr. G.H. Asudani, associate professor anandniketan college of agriculture, Warora, brought home the importance of competitive exams and what visually challenged students can and should do to be competitive and succeed at them. Dr. Ram babu from Tata Institute of Social science, Mumbai, depicted the society's response to disability. In his lively and interactive session, he noted the subtle but important transition from apathy and avoidance to curiosity and positivity, crisscrossing with denial and unreasonableness on one hand and due acknowledgement and reasonable behaviour on the other. The first day concluded with an open session where each of the participants had a chance not only to introduce themselves but also to put forth their prime concern as a visually challenged. Mostly, the participants expressed rural-urban divide, economic deprivation in conjunction with disability to be the major inhibiting factor in their life. Need for technology training and personality development along with residential facilities in the city for those coming from suburban and rural areas was felt. Response of the participants on the second day was also overwhelming. Dr. Deshpande graced the gathering with his suo motu presence on the second day. Mr. Lakshman Khapekar, a well known visually impaired social activist was also present. Dr. Vinod Asudani, Associate professor and head of the department, Social sciences, Ramdevbaba Kamla Nehru Engineering college Nagpur and renowned HRD trainer, underlined importance of motivation in face of disability. He opined that self acceptance along with effective contact with immediate surroundings, positive attitude and a sense of humor are the key factors in leading a meaningful life despite disability. Rajesh Asudani, Assistant General Manager Reserve bank of India, spoke about various challenges before visually challenged at present including Physical, Legal, economic, Technological, psycho-social etc. He also distributed RBI circular about banking facilities to the visually challenged and Maharashtra HC guidelines about scribe among the participants. Nagpur MNC resolution about free bus facility to blind was also distributed. The Open session was continued on the second day as well, where some lady participants expressed anguish about arbitrary scribe policy of the government and about unreasonable ways of Maharashtra government which deprive totally blind of almost all jobs. Mr. Rajesh Asudani agreed with their concern and pointed out an instance of Maharashtra government where only the post of music lecturer is identified for blind and not any other post of lecturer. He further assured gathering that some meaningful provisions about scribe on the lines of maharashtra HC guidelines would be shortly introduced at the national level. Gathering also felt howsoever nice laws may be on paper, what actually matters is their effective and unbiased implementation. So, we must strive continuously to achieve it. A participative discussion on interaction of gender with visual disability was also taken up shortly before lunch. The lady participants spoke up about unique issues it creates and their resolve to combat them. Radha Borde, a teacher told at length how her struggles bore fruit in leading a productive life despite being a woman with disability from rural area and illiterate and poor family. Rajesh Asudani felt that undue sexualization by males-sighted and blind alike, of predominantly tactual contact entailed by visual inability was the chief contributing factor for undue harassment of blind girls. The gathering passed a few resolutions, namely: 1. To take up access to education as a goal for the coming year, 2. To deliberate and suggest to the committee on the new law on disability 3. To set up regular resource and coaching center for competitive exams for the blind 4. To form the Nagpur chapter of Blind graduates forum of India. The convention concluded with a lively cultural interaction among the participants. The achievement of the convention was that each one of the participants left with a renewed enthusiasm and hope for the future. (Rajesh Asudani) Vice President Blind Graduates Forum of India October 5, 2010 ________________________________ Notice: This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, use, review, distribution, printing or copying of the information contained in this e-mail message and/or attachments to it are strictly prohibited. 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