Agartala, Oct. 20: In the ancient Greek city state of Sparta, physically or visually challenged newborns were flung in deep gorges from hilltops to die an instant and cruel death as they would not be able to adapt to the martial culture of the state. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1141021/jsp/northeast/story_18946144.jsp It is an axiom that evolution of democratic consciousness and humanitarian values now make life of the differently-abled productive and liveable.
The differently-abled people, though still looked at through a different prism, also contribute to society and welfare of fellow humans. Nothing illustrates this better than the life and progress of Tripura's young IAS officer Ajit Kumar Yadav, currently posted as sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), Ambassa, in Dhalai district. Yadav is one of the very few visually challenged IAS officers in the country. Born into a middle-class family in Kheri village under Mahendra Nagar district of Haryana, Ajit's life hit a major roadblock at the tender age of five when diarrhoea took away his vision and consigned him to darkness forever. "That was too hard a shock to bear but I plodded on, determined to carry on my studies in Braille. I secured admission in Springdale School in New Delhi and started topping my annual exams. In the board exam for Class X, I stood first," said Ajit. Always confident and encouraged by his parents, Ajit kept doing exceedingly well in his academic career. Having completed his masters in political science from Ramjas College, affiliated to Delhi University, Ajit started teaching in a government school in Haryana but soon cleared the NET exam held by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to join as assistant professor in Shyamlal College, New Delhi. Reminiscing on his days of struggle, Ajit said he had been asked during the interview for the college job how he would manage classes with his visual impairment. "Soon I removed my appointing authority's doubts and misgivings as students started thronging my classes even on Sundays," said Ajit. His life took a turn in 2005 when he heard former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assert that doors of higher government services, including those of IAS and allied services, must be opened to physically or visually challenged youths. "I instantly realised what I wanted to become and started training for IAS with the help of media like Internet and other technological support," said Ajit, adding that in 2008 he had secured a rank of 208 among 791 candidates in the final exams. But this marked the beginning of a different kind of struggle, as despite being eligible for induction into the IAS, Ajit was offered a job in the Railway Personnel Service (RPS), presumably in view of his handicap. "I did not take this lying down and filed a suit in the central administrative tribunal (CAT) along with eight other candidates. In 2010, the CAT ruled in our favour but still we remained deprived. Finally, the intervention of the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) and CPM leader Brinda Karat made the then Prime Minister intervene and we, seven of the nine candidates, got offers of appointment to the IAS," said Ajit. Having gone through his probation, Ajit joined his IAS post as joint secretary, department of industries, in Tripura in 2012 and was posted as SDM, Ambassa, in May 2014. "I like Tripura and my top priority as administrator is to upgrade the standard of education and provide proper medical services to the people. Over the past five months I have had interactive sessions with students and teachers of 20 schools and during the outbreak of malaria in July, I toured the interior areas. There is scope for work here and I will do them properly," said Ajit. Despite his visual challenge, Ajit makes masterly use of computers and a special software for his mobile that helps him work as efficiently as anyone else. -- Avinash Shahi Doctoral student at Centre for Law and Governance JNU Clean India Campaign: Let us also chip in! 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..
