"if you say, I am, I am, so shall you be. and if you think you are nothing, low and miserable, nothing shall you be." these words of Swami Vivekanand are very right. the dedication and commitment of Rajani Gopal proves it. congratulations and all the best for the days to come. Keep it up.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Mamta" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 9:57 PM Subject: [AI] One more achievment of one of our friend. > Interview with Rajani Gopal > Rajani Gopal is India's first visually impaired woman to become a > Chartered Accountant. Currently working with India's leading software > companies, it has > taken Rajani immense grit, perseverance and patience to reach where she > stands. > Rajani Gopal has come a long way after losing her eye sight. She treads on > paths that make even sighted people think twice before taking up. Behind > this > chartered accountant, Veena player and social worker, lies a determined > woman who has defied all logic when it comes to success. Let's talk to > Rajani Gopal > and find out more about her. > > > You work with a reputed IT company. Tell us about your job profile. > > > > I work in the Finance Department. My profile is to work on Indian & U.S.A. > Generally Accepted Accounting Practices. > > > > Where were you working before your current assignment? How did you get > this break? > > > > I was working for Indian Group of Hotels as Community co-ordinator. I had > sent my bio-data to the placement cell of I.C.A.I. and that is how I got > this > break. > > > > How have you adjusted to your work environment and how have your > colleagues responded. > > > > It has been comfortable to adjust to work environment as I am quite > versatile on computers. Moreover my work to a large extent is on those > applications > that extensively support screen reading software. > > > > My colleagues respond very sensibly. There is no discrimination of any > sort. Now they know when I need assistance and come forward to give the > same. The > work atmosphere is very comfortable and friendly. > > > > Becoming a C.A. is a tough task even for sighted people. As a blind person > what motivated you to take up this subject and how did you manage? > > > > That is what many told me when I thought of taking up C.A. as a career. > But let me tell you, determination and commitment can help you achieve > those milestones > which seem difficult otherwise. > > > > I lost vision in my right eye by the time I completed my graduation. I > faced few interviews where my candidature was not considered because of my > vision > problem. I realised that I should have a better education to get a decent > and dignified job. At this juncture I came to know about Chartered > Accountancy. > By this time I had learnt to pursue my studies on my own. I thought if I > can pursue B.Com on my own then why not C.A.? > > > > Of course, pursuing the course was not easy. It would be difficult for me > to read for long time. I had to read keeping the book close to my eyes. > Commuting > was also quite difficult. For a moment my spirits would be shattered. But > I would realise that this is not the way to tackle a problem. I will have > to > find out ways and means of solving this. I would read for sometime and > then close my eyes and try to recollect whatever I would have studied. > This way > I was not wasting my time and was also giving rest to my eyes, which I > needed the most. As far as commuting was concerned, I would prefer to walk > short > distances, as catching the public transport was difficult. For long > distances, invariably I would take the public transport. It was quite > risky but I had > to take the calculated risk. > > > > After I lost vision in my left eye too, I had to look for means to > continue my studies and clear my examinations. But the important hurdle > was to accept > that I am visually challenged. This did take some time as I would relate > myself with my friends who either had a good job or were happily married. > I realised > that I should come out of this trauma. Sahaja Yoga meditation came to my > rescue. The meditation gave the overall balance which I needed the most. I > realised > that I should accept the situation and go ahead, instead of brooding. I > came to know about the screen reading software and learnt how to use > computers. > My urge to pursue the course was rekindled. I got all the materials > converted to soft copy and started studying. For few subjects I took the > assistance > of volunteers. I also had to learn how to communicate with the scribe, as > I was availing scribe facility for the first time. > > > > What are the special assistive tools you use for help at work? Especially > when tackling numbers. > > > > As I have already mentioned, I extensively use computers with screen > reading software. My assignment does not include going through any written > documents. > By using Excel and other M.S. Office applications, I am able to manage my > job quite comfortably. > > > > How did you develop your eye problem? > > > > I was prescribed penicillin tablets for common cold. This was given > without test dosage and resulted in an allergic reaction which in medical > terminology > is known as "Steven Johnson Syndrome". My vision started deteriorating > gradually. This was coupled with growth of eye lashes inside the eyes > which would > constantly itch. I had to visit the doctor almost twice a week to get the > lashes plucked. But the damage to the cornea was done and doctors were > helpless. > > > > Tell us a bit about your school and college days. > > > > Early school days were as any other normal child. After the allergy, > things changed. Because of redness in the eyes, quite a few classmates > would avoid > me. I had to hear to lot of sympathies from relatives and friends. It > would be very difficult to listen. I would try to be all alone by myself. > I developed > the habit of reading to overcome my loneliness. Initially I would cry and > weep. As I grew up I didn't feel like doing that, for I knew that my > parents > would be disturbed. I learnt to keep all my emotions to myself. I had very > few friends. > > > > At my college things were little different. I was matured enough to handle > the situation. I did have friends who were sensible enough. Infact in the > final > year of my graduation, my friends would write the notes for me, get the > books from library, for I couldn't attend the college due to surgery on my > right > eye. > > > > What kind of support did you get from family and friends? > > > > There was complete support from my immediate family members. Neither my > parents nor my brothers made me to feel at any point of time that I had > vision problem. > My parents would encourage me in all my ventures as they would encourage > my brothers. Even after I lost my vision completely, they would behave as > if nothing > had happened and gave me all the emotional support. > > > > Though I had very few friends, they were quite sensible and helped me > whenever I needed them most. Moreover they would boost my confidence and > behave as > they would with other "normal" friends. > > > > What are your interests and hobbies? > > > > As already mentioned, I practice meditation-Sahaja Yoga. I enjoy cooking. > I play chess. I have learnt to play Veena. I listen to lot of music. I > volunteer > my services to physically, visually and economically challenged students > by providing assistance in their studies. > > > > Tell us any interesting experience you'd like to share. > > > > There have been quite a lot of experiences which have moulded my > personality. > > > > As my vision deteriorated gradually, I could see the helplessness of > doctors and my parents. At such heart breaking moments, each mile stone in > my education > would motivate me to go further. > > > > But if you want to know of any particular incident that changes the course > of my life, I feel this is it. > > > > Around the time when I lost vision in both my eyes, my father was > diagnosed with Leukemia. It was the prime age of my life and with all > confusion I was > totally lost and mentally upset. One evening when I just couldn't control > my emotions, my brother recommended me meditation. He advised that I > should do > it with open mind and take as hypothesis. I could see within a week that > my overall personality was in complete balance and I obtained the > necessary confidence > and inner strength which I needed the most and which any amount of > external counseling wouldn't have done. > > > > Now I feel, everything that happened was with some purpose and has helped > me become a better person move ahead in life with greater strength and > confidence. > To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > 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 To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] 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
