wow. what an article! I really loved this. laughed so much while reading. reminded me of another article, which was titled celebrity treatment to visually challenged, which I read on the same list.
On 7/23/17, turab chimthanawala via Ai <ai@accessindia.inclusivehabitat.in> wrote: > Hello all > Hope this mail finds you well. > Happy to share my articletitled 'Proud to be visually impaired'.To > avoid any accessibility issues, have pasted it hereunder. > One of my previous articles: ‘ Change in attitude towards the > visually impaired’, despite generating widespread acclaim among the > able bodied around, was criticised by some in the blind community as > cynical, negative and complaining. They opined that it is not people’s > malafide intention but their lack of sensitisation towards a disabled > person’s unique needs which often handicaps their fruitful > interaction with their disabled colleagues. Hence this time around I > decided to look at the glass as half full: trying to consider my > disability as my USP based on some great past experiences. However, I > would like to put forth here that my intelligence, decent appearance, > constant motivation by my mother, risk taking attitude and a > significant social status have also played a vital part...and it is > quite possible that other disabled persons not having the > aforementioned attributes may have found the going much tougher. > To start with the greatest advantage of being disabled is that even > ‘normal’ achievements are considered as ‘special’ ‘path breaking’ > accomplishments... Hence my clearing CS, although strenuous but yet an > easily achievable task received wide acclaim and appreciation vis a > vis my sighted friends as it was accomplished despite 90% blindness. > I have collated many such other experiences and interactions > hereunder(the list is endless) wherein I have in fact not cursed but > thanked God for making me disabled! It is also pertinent to mention > here that it is not always me who has desired but circumstances and > the people around have either forced or embraced such concessions upon > me. > > School > Being admitted to the most prestigious school in town, my unique > condition allowed me direct access and a personal rapport with the > Principal, helped selection among the few ‘star students’ to meet the > Great Kalaam, shake hands with Rahul Dravid and on some occasions have > the pleasure of choosing my classroom to suit my special needs... > > CS > In CS the fun increased further! From having a seat reserved in the > first row in the thickly populated and most looked upon class of the > legendary Late Dr. V K Jain to enjoying a personal rapport with him, I > have felt like a celebrity on various occasions... I have been very > lucky to have had a direct connect with all office bearers of Nagpur > chapter right from the time of enrolling into CS. Thus ensuring active > participation in student conferences and events especially having the > singular honour of starting the conference (despite seniors around) > when the then ICSI President CS Atul Mehta was the Chief Guest. My > unique condition has enabled me to stand out from the crowd, arousing > great deal of love, admiration and respect by office bearers, teachers > and students. The sheer inaccessibility of the Ministry of Corporate > Affairs website, a major road block in my CS career had the benefit of > exempting me from the gruelling annual filing sessions, the most > dreaded part of articleship. I was infact lucky to perform intriguing > tasks such as research, opinion writing and legal drafting right from > the beginning of my articleship. The icing on the cake was being able > to accomplish my dream of becoming the first visually impaired CS in > India.. > > WAD > The Workshop on Aptitude Development at Ramdeobaba College of > Engineering and Management, one of the most prestigious, well > conducted and eagerly awaited training programmes in Nagpur presented > many such amazing experiences. The most revered are getting a standing > ovation from all the delegates and organisers, becoming the show > stopper in the fashion show, having a personal connect with most > faculty, organisers and delegates and finally being chosen as the best > male delegate of the training... > > MSOP > Although an integral part of CS, I have found it pertinent to > elucidate it separately: being one of the finest fifteen days of my > journey so far! I was overwhelmed by the unconditional care, love, > support and cooperation of my co delegates, just like a family member. > Despite other competent students around, I was always the unanimous > choice to lead in all competitions. I was also fortunate to be > appreciated by some of the biggest names in the CS fraternity... I was > also probably the only guy who has a selfee with every girl in the > training. However the best was being unanimously elected as the best > participant of the training!! > > Mumbai > My five months of independent living in Mumbai enhanced my celebrity > status even further. From getting a chance to work in South Mumbai > that to with a very senior solicitor, to getting a complimentary meal > at the famous Thakkars, to being dropped to work by my landlord > himself, to getting free ferry rides at the Gateway of India, to > getting a free upgrade to a large specially abled room in my one night > stay at the Trident... > > Other experiences > In airlines, I have always the luxury of boarding first and getting > personal attention from airhostesses...and on some occasions even > getting a upgrade to business class. In buses and metros, there are > seats reserved for the disabled and if not, the norm is to vacate a > seat for us. On roads, it is great fun to see the otherwise rash and > fast traffic including even government vehicles brake on seeing my > white stick. In movie theatres and other recreational settings, I am > allowed frisk free entry and ticket waivers on some occasions. In most > settings, including the frantic post demonetisation era, I had to > never stand in large queues to exchange my currency.. I have been > honoured to be clicked with and be appreciated by the Chief Minister > himself, Mr. Devendra Fadnavis... But ladies and gentlemen the best > one is our community being given a special name by the PM > himself:’Divyang’! and separate campaigns been run for our welfare!! > > To conclude, the main aim of this piece is to express my sincere > gratitude towards the people around for accepting me with my special > abilities... and is an attempt to convince the disabled at large, of > course including myself that life is still a celebration even though > we are handicapped. > > Eagerly await your comments. > Best > Turab > 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.. > > > > To check if the post reached the list or to search for old posting, reach: > https://www.mail-archive.com/ai@accessindia.inclusivehabitat.in/maillist.html > _______________________________________________ > > > Ai mailing list > Ai@accessindia.inclusivehabitat.in > http://accessindia.inclusivehabitat.in/mailman/listinfo/ai > -- gatak singh QA test engineer at VMware India pvt. ltd. Email: gataksingh.gurud...@gmail.com gutta...@vmware.com WhatsApp: 9980948679 skype: gatak.guru facebook: https://m.facebook.com/gatak.singh?ref_component=mbasic_home_header&ref_page=%2Fwap%2Fhome.php&refid=8 twitter: https://twitter.com/gataksingh youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzlwwCd3JSGJC3eyn7i1HeQ 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.. To check if the post reached the list or to search for old posting, reach: https://www.mail-archive.com/ai@accessindia.inclusivehabitat.in/maillist.html _______________________________________________ Ai mailing list Ai@accessindia.inclusivehabitat.in http://accessindia.inclusivehabitat.in/mailman/listinfo/ai
