In his latest blog post, L.K.Advani has written about a book release
function he attended sometime back. I found the information interesting and
posting some of it here. For reading the full article:
http://blog.lkadvani.in.
Name of the book
is: The Light
Within
Author of the book: Sipra Das, a Photo-Journalist.
Publisher
of the book: Niyogi
Books.
This unique book was released in Rashtrapathi
Bhavan. But, it was not released by Rashtrapathi! It was released by Pragya and Prachi, twin sisters studying
in XII standard, who are blind since birth!!
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Publishers of this
book have summed up its contents as below:
“The Light Within captures the extraordinary lives of the visually
Impaired through images that stimulate genuine empathy and a certain degree of
awe.
They enthrall you with their wit, their perspicacity, their ability to
see beyond the obvious. In the Light Within, Sipra has sought to narrate tales
of struggle and survival, of despair and hope, of resilience and triumphs.
Each story in this book is filled with drama. The characters in the book
open our eyes. They teach us to see life in a new light. They help us evolve as
a human being. They bring us face to face with blinding flashes of truth that
would have remained outside our ken had their amazing lives not touched us
through this book. They inspire us.”
Few interesting stories
from the book (as given in the original blog):
Sangeeta, 38,
School Teacher
Daughter of an iron trader in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, Sangeeta runs a residential
school for the visually impaired, besides being the brain behind Shubham, an
NGO that helps poor children from the villages in the vicinity. Being
sightless, she found all her efforts to study in a school for normal children
thwarted. But her academic record has been nothing short of
spectacular. She went to a school for the visually impaired and passed
with flying colours, ranking tenth on the merit list. She went on to
acquire MPhil and PhD degrees. In 1986, she was among the 300 university
toppers who were invited by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for high
tea. She was the only visually challenged person on that select list of
invitees. The PM asked her what she wanted to do next. Her reply
was prompt. She said she wanted to help the visually challenged lead
normal lives the way she does. The rest, as they say, is history.
Sangeeta has since gone from strength to strength in her mission.
Misri Sahani, 30
Fisherman
Misri Sahani is a sightless fisherman in Buddhanagara village, Bihar. He
never returns home empty-handed. The eldest of seven siblings, he lost his
eyesight at the age of two. He was under treatment for two months, but
the doctor passed away. Misri received no medical attention thereafter – his
family and neighbours believed he was a victim of black magic. His luck took a
positive turn when he began accompanying his fisherman-father to the Barigandak
river. Misri swims and is a more than competent fisherman. He earns up to
Rs.5000 a month when the going is good. The haul, he says, is the best in the
months of September and October.
Misri also owns a general Provisions store, which he set up with the
help of a small government loan. His father and mother run the shop when
the young man is out fishing. He often spends the entire night in his
boat.
Reshmi Sonawane, 32
Beautician
Reshmi Sonawane isn’t your average beautician. Nor does she fit into the
image of a visually challenged woman. The mother of a boy, she is genetically
blind. But that hasn’t stopped her from running a beauty parlour from her
well-appointed Mumbai home. She provides a range of services – from basic
beauty treatment to hairdressing to aromatherapy. Reshmi’s condition was
detected when she was a five-year-old student of Hillgreen school, Peddar Road.
“I do not know the cause of my blindness,” she says. “It was during my 12th
standard exams that the letters of the alphabet began to merge,” she
recalls. A counselor helped her tide over the disability and she
completed her education – Reshmi is a History Honours graduate – with the help
of readers and writers. She then went on to acquire additional training in
export-import management. Because of her pretty eyes, Reshmi often encounters
boorish behaviour from bus conductors who refuse to accept that she is actually
sightless. “I find it very humiliating,” she says. Her husband is a Tata Motors
dealer. She married him against her family’s wishes. Her parents severed all
ties with her. Today, the gutsy Reshmi has no reason to regret her choice.
Riyazuddin, 55
Motorcycle mechanic
Riyazuddin is a motorcycle mechanic in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. His skills in
his chosen field are legendary. Engineers and mechanics from around the country
consult him when they need specialized help with repairs. One of ten siblings,
Riyazuddin, also known as Munnabhai, lost his eyesight at 23.
In the early 1970s, he had been taken to a doctor with an insect bite on
the eyelid. The doctor gave him a medicine that was past its expiry date. He
lost vision in one eye. Six months later, the strain affected his other eye as
well. His family was too poor to afford further treatment. In 1980, he went to
a shop in Delhi to buy tyres. Hoping to take advantage of his sightlessness,
the shopkeeper gave him a used tyre. Riyazuddin felt it with his hands and
instantly realised that it was defective. He returned the tyre and asked for
another. The shopkeeper gave him three old tyres one by one. Each
time, Riyazuddin called his bluff. Eventually, the shopkeeper realised
the futility of his ploy.
The fifth tyre that he handed over to Riyazuddin was spanking new. As
the latter turned to leave, the sheepish shopkeeper apologized. “I’ve
shortchanged many customers over the years, but you’ve opened my eyes. I will
never cheat a customer ever again,” he said.
Riyazuddin is a finicky mechanic – he handpicks every part. His
repairs come with a one year guarantee. The early days were tough, but thanks
to the consistent quality of his service, his clientele expanded quickly. Today
his eldest son, Faisal – Riyaz has nine children – has learnt the ropes from
him.
Engineers from Enfield Chennai often come to Bhopal to seek his
assistance. Even other mechanics, when they cannot repair a motorcycle,
turn to him for help. He hears the sound of a motorcycle on the mobile
phone and can tell what is wrong with the engine. It is not without
reason that his customers swear by Riyazuddin.
Preeti Monga, 49
Public Relations Executive
Punjab-born Preeti Monga is an exceptionally driven woman. Sightless since the
age of six, she is a public relations executive with an eye hospital in
Delhi. “I follow my heart. Nothing can prevent me from achieving
what I want to. It might take time, but I don’t give up,” she says. Her life is
a living testimony to that spirit. She was a student of Loreto Convent, Delhi
Cantonment, until Standard VIII. Expelled because of her condition, she had to
sit at home for a while. She then enrolled in an open school, but that didn’t
help matters either. She felt frustrated and unhappy. Her marriage led to more
problems. Her jobless husband, who fathered two children, was abusive and
physically violent. Back then Preeti was an aerobics instructor for the
blind and earned enough to sustain herself and her children. She divorced her
husband. Preeti’s second husband is a colleague ten years younger. “When I
proposed, he took two days to decide,” she recalls. They’ve been married for
over a decade now. Today a proud owner of a flat in an east Delhi
locality, she designed the interiors all by herself. Preeti loves to be
in control.
