New readers' and writers' club to help visually impaired

NAGPUR: Setting up a readers’ and writers’ group for the visually impaired has been a project very dear to Jidnyasa Chawaldhal. She runs the Atmadeepam Society which works for the blind.
For someone who lost her eyesight at the age of 18, she has been working relentlessly to make life easy for those with similar affliction. “Many blind students cannot pursue higher studies for the simple reason that they do not get support from the society,” she says.
A reader goes a long way in helping the visually impaired prepare for their exams as all books are not available in braille. Getting a writer for those appearing for exams is often a very taxing and disappointing effort as writers are usually not available during exam time. “It is good to have those students who have studied the subject as writers as they have a better understanding. But they too are having exams around that time,” she says.
Jidnyasa recently set up a reader, writers’ club at Ambedkar College in Nagpur. “I have now requested the vice chancellor of Nagpur University, Siddharthavinayaka Kane to set up a club at the university also. Those who offer to be club volunteers will then be available as readers and writers,” she feels. Readers are very important for the visually impaired as now many prepare for competitive exams which requires extensive reading she adds.