There are, people who are doing fantastic stuff. Here comes one more illustration. I loved the efforts, and though i’ve learned swimming from a general instructor, but would have loved to learn in his guidance as well if I was in Bangalore. Great work by this gentleman, salute!
--- Helping the blind get over their fear of water This business manager with a pharma company and his friends spend their precious mornings giving swimming lessons to the visually impaired G Devaki Posted On Sunday, December 12, 2010 at 12:24:57 AM The shocked expression on the face of a blind man after he accidentally stepped into a puddle is something that Vasantha Kumar B R could never erase from his memory. So he decided to go right ahead and do something for his blind brothers and sisters. He decided to give swimming lessons to the visually impaired to help them overcome their fear of water. Vasantha Kumar (second from left) with his students (from left) Sridhar, Anil Kumar, Chandrashekar and Ashok The business manager with Suvas Heilung Pharmaceuticals and his friends now teach visually challenged degree students swimming every day from 7 am to 8 am at the Basavanagudi swimming pool. This, he says, will not only help them shrug off their irrational fear of water but will also make them more confident and courageous. “I was at South End Circle one rainy day, when I saw a blind man accidentally step into a puddle and look absolutely shocked. That’s when I felt that maybe the visually challenged do suffer from water phobia,” said Kumar. Kumar, who has been swimming since the past three years, then got in touch with an NGO at J P Nagar who in turn provided him with four visually challenged degree students. But why didn’t he start with school children? “I was apprehensive for the safety of visually impaired children, so I thought I would start with degree students. Earlier, the students were slightly scared to swim in even six to 10 feet of water, but now, they can easily swim in 50 feet of water,” said the father of twin daughters. Soon, Kumar and 15 of his swimming colleagues started teaching four degree level blind students how to swim. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the 38-year-old initially. “At first, it was challenging as this was the first time they were doing something like this and I could see the anxiety on their faces. But for them, their ears are their eyes and they learnt from listening. So if they had to go in one particular direction, they would follow their instructor’s voice and move accordingly,” he added. The number of students has increased to nine, with five more registering with them. “We will start another batch from next week,” he said. The group makes sure that their students are not put to any inconvenience. “They come everyday barring Wednesdays. Usually, swimmers have to pay Rs 16 but we don’t let the students pay. We foot the bill,” he added. Kumar, who hails from Sakleshpur in Hassan district, also points out that swimming has advantages for the blind. “Swimming helps a person to become more confident and courageous. It’s more than an exercise as it teaches people to overcome hurdles.” Kumar, who teaches techniques like freestyle and backstrokes has only one request. “There are so many swimming pools in Bangalore and so many swimming coaches. If they come together to teach even a small percentage of the visually impaired how to swim, what a difference it would make.” May his tribe increase I always wanted to play in water like everyone else, but could not. I always wanted to learn swimming, but never got an opportunity. But when Kumar sir came forward to teach us, I knew I had to go for it. I cannot express what I felt when I got into the pool the first time. But now, I feel confident. — Ashok (22), final year BA student, St Joseph’s College I had a great fear of water. When Kumar sir volunteered to teach me, I was reluctant. But when my friends decided to learn swimming, I too decided to follow suit. I have overcome my fears now. I am proud of sir. May his tribe increase. — Anil (23), a BCom graduate Swimming is a life-saving skill. More than getting into the water, it’s swimming in the right direction that makes all the difference. With people like Vasanth Kumar willing to help us out, I guess people like us will literally get to move in the right direction. — Chandrashekar (23), who is doing a chartered accountants course Many people express sympathy with people like us. . But it is only a few who get into action. Kumar is one such person who converted thoughts into deeds. — Sridhar (23) --- regards, Prateek agarwal. To unsubscribe send a message to accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
