Many thanks friend for sharing this, amazing read. On 8/5/14, selvaraj sby <[email protected]> wrote: > Dr. K. Radhabai was my Classmate in Poonamallee, Chennai. I am hearing > about her Victories after a long 40 years. It is a great happiness to > me. I convey my Gratitude from the bottom of my Heart. I Pray that she > may grow more and more to the Hights in this world. I ask somebody > should help me to get her Contact details to my personal email: > [email protected] > > PostPosted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 11:32 am Post subject: A great and > inspiring Teacher Reply with quote [Mark post as unread] > Pudukottai, Trichy: > Her world may be in perpetual darkness but she chooses to light up > lives of others. Just like thousands of men and women who have donned > the mantle of teaching . But for Dr. K.Radhabai, Head of History > Department , Government Arts College for Women, Pudukottai , every day > is a challenge to prove herself. > > Her visual impairment doesn't strike at first sight. Her every step > speaks of determination, confidence and courage. Though her road to > acceptance and recognition was not strewn with roses, she went on to > become the first visually challenged woman to get a Ph.D in South > India. Radhabai insists she is happy and contented today. . Her highly > animated face is a cue to how she brings alive Socrates and Alexander > in her classroom. > > Pushing boundaries > > Fifty years ago in Usilampatti in Madurai district, a village > notorious for female infanticide, a family decided to keep their baby > girl, though she was born partially blind. Radhabai blesses that > family for her life and the support they gave her. Her siblings > affectionately hover around her even today. > > "My father was responsible for my development. He was my first > teacher. I can still remember him holding me close to him when we went > out and the first Thirukurals he taught me," she fondly reminiscences. > "I was treated like a normal child at home." > > After a few years in a private school, Radhabai was admitted to the > Government School for the Blind at Poonamallee, Chennai, when she was > nine. Though she topped her school in the SSLC exams, her retired > father who had to support a family of six children could not fund her > higher education owing to financial constraints. > > Her entry into the Rehabilitation Centre for Blind Woman at > Mannarpuram, Tiruchi, run by Priya Theodore, brought her a fresh lease > of life. The Director who believed she should be given a chance to > study further, helped her gain admission in Seethalakshmi Ramasamy > College in Tiruchi. > > Radhabai who deems Ms Theodore as her biggest motivator says, > "Acceptance is still a hard thing for all disabled persons. The > Principal of the college first thought I would be wasting a seat. I > remember my room mate complaining to her that she did not want to room > with a blind girl. But Ms.Theodore insisted I stay. When I topped the > class in P.U.C, the same Principal wanted me to continue in that > institution. And she readily came forward to help fund my education." > > A persevering Radhabai proceeded to win the silver medal in History at > the University level , following which she gained special permission > from the university to do her Ph.D immediately. Not the one to be > deterred by her disability, she travelled with her mentor, Professor > Edward Jonathan across India for her doctoral thesis, 'History of > Rehabilitation Services to the Blind in India, with special reference > to Tamil Nadu.' After five years of unflinching labour, she submitted > her thesis and was awarded the doctorate in 1989. > > Enlightening minds > > After a stint as special lecturer in special education at the > Avinashilingam Deemed University, Coimbatore, she secured a post as > lecturer at the Government Arts College for Women, Pudukottai in 1994. > Today as Associate Professor and Head of the Department of History, > she participates in seminars and paper presentations with ardour. > Apart from advocating issues concerning the visually impaired in her > articles and lectures, she is a motivational speaker who inspires by > example. "Small acts like preparing and presenting a power point > presentation on my own acts as motivation to differently-abled > students," she notes. > > Someone who has given umpteen number of sensitisation and motivation > programmes, her focus is primarily on the welfare of the disabled, > empowerment of women, development of youth and protection of the > environment. She believes that education and economic independence are > the cornerstones for women's empowerment. > > She urges the differently abled to accept their circumstances. "We > must focus on our abilities rather than our disabilities. It is only > through perseverance and practice, we can overcome our limitations. > And when you prove yourself, society would recognise and applaud you." > > Assuring acceptance > > Though positive changes can be perceived in societal attitude to the > disabled, misconceptions still prevail, she points out. > > "As eyes are the queen of senses and 80 percent of knowledge is gained > through them, people believe its better to be dead than blind. But > then, nobody knows everything. We all have limitations. . There are > people who attribute disability to karma, or punishment for a sin > committed in the previous birth, ignoring the scientific reasons. Such > freely aired opinions affect our self esteem. This attitude must > change," she says. > > Acceptance is something most differently- abled people have to fight > for, she acknowledges. "Acceptance and support by family members is > the first priority. But more importantly, we all need equal > opportunities. And equal opportunity means special assistance to > compete on a equal footing. We don't want sympathy, but we need > empathy," she voices the concerns of the differently- abled. > > "Getting a Ph.d and becoming a college Professor is not an > extraordinary achievement. But for someone like me, it means a lot. We > even struggle to achieve ordinary goals in life." > > That she is resourceful and enterprising cannot be denied. She may > have not seen any of her students, but Radhabai informs she has seen > the latest copy of The Hindu. As I look flummoxed, she senses my > surprise and corrects me that she has at least read it -just like she > reads the paper every day. > > "Technology is a big boon to the visually challenged, though not many > are aware of it," she says demonstrating her daily preparation before > class. Her scanner scans the portions of the day and a special > software, Kurzwell 100 converts it into voice-based information. The > Professor uses various devices, audio books and material to enhance > her teaching methods. > > A special teacher > > A devoted teacher, before every class, she prepares her lessons with a > helper at hand. She notes down her lessons in Braille, records them in > cassettes and listens to them to go to class thoroughly prepared. > > "It is said that a destiny of a nation begins in the classroom. When I > teach 30 children, I realise I am working with 30 young minds. > Transmission of knowledge occurs here. Most of my students are first > generation learners from rural areas. I ensure my classes are > interactive with brain storming sessions." > > In a scenario where teachers struggle to hold the attention of their > students, Radhabai is an ace in engaging her class by bringing the > past alive in her history classes. She believes that without the past, > there is no present and history becomes interesting when the teacher > can bring the characters to life. > > Role model > > Helen Keller has been Radhabai's role model all her life and she draws > from Keller's autobiography, 'The Story of My Life' to revive her > flagging spirits. > > "Whenever I read Helen Keller, I ask myself if a triple handicap could > achieve so much, why not I? Everything is in the mind. Ideas are > immensely powerful." > > Though she has a large collection of Braille magazines and books at > home, she has a predilection for biographies as they keep her going. A > poet at heart, her unrealised dream is to publish an anthology of her > poems. Surrounded by friends, family and colleagues, to whom she is > grateful for sweetening her life, all she aspires is to inspire. > > Quoting her favourite Helen Keller maxim, "I can see the light of my > mind. I can hear the voice of my heart. I am living as I am thinking," > Radhabai is like a candle in the wind, enlightening minds and hearts. > > > Outstanding Visually Handicapped Woman of the Year - National > Association of the Blind, Mumbai, 1998. > > Best Employee, Government of Tamil Nadu, 2009. > > Innovative Teachers Award- SCAN Foundation,Chennai 2005. > > Best College Professor Award, Rotary Club of Pudukottai, 2009. > > source: http://www.hindu.com/mp/2010/09/04/stories/2010090453710800.htm > > by Mr. K. Selvaraj. Mobile: 09961499257, email: [email protected] > > > > Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of > mobile phones / Tabs on: > http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > 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 > > > Disclaimer: > 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the > person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; > > 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails > sent through this mailing list.. >
-- Avinash Shahi Doctoral student at Centre for Law and Governance JNU Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ 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 Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..
