Kolkata celebrates 200 years of Braille with events for the visually impaired on World Braille Day

Kolkata Centre for Creativity celebrated World Braille Day, marking 200 glorious years of having an independent reading script for the blind community – with a series of events on January 4.

Braille, a tactile system of reading and writing used by visually impaired people all over the world, was invented in 1824 by 15-year-old Louis Braille. The day featured an All-Bengal Chess Competition for visually impaired players in collaboration with Kolkata District Chess Association, Ladies Circle India, Round Table India, Lake Youth Club, under the auspices of Sara Bangla Daba Sangstha. The second event was Art of Patterns where a unique Braille competition on the identification of fruits, vegetables, and flowers through touch in collaboration with Ek Kadam Foundation engaged visually impaired children, followed by a talk on theRelevance of Braille in the 21st Century by Prof. Devkumar Dandapat, and a music performance by visually impaired children from Ek Kadam Foundation.

Richa Agarwal, Chairperson of KCC, expressed her enthusiasm about the event, stating, “As part of our commitment to diversity, equality, accessibility, and inclusivity, KCC in association with Ladies Circle India 46 and Round Table India 34 is proud to celebrate World Braille Day. This year, we commemorate 200 years of Braille with a day-long program with chess and braille competitions, a talk, and a musical performance by visually impaired children. At KCC, we strive to create meaningful experiences for a wide range of audience across the city with events that focus exclusively on the development of marginalised people and individuals with disabilities – exemplified by our Braille Library, which fosters an inclusive connection to art, empowering everyone through self-expression and creativity. We invite everyone to join us in honoring the transformative impact of Braille and championing inclusivity.”