Swagat Thorat

Last updated

Swagat Thorat
Born20 March
NationalityIndian
Occupation(s)Writer, poet, painter, photographer, director, editor
TitleBraille Man of India

Swagat Thorat is a wildlife photographer, playwright, painter, editor, and director. Known as the Braille Man of India, he published India's first registered fortnightly Braille newspaper in the Marathi language, called Sparshdnyan. [1] He has also directed plays with blind performers. [2]

Contents

Career

Swagat Thorat was raised in Chandrapur in Maharashtra. [3] In 1993, he created the documentary Kallokhatil Chandane for Pune Akashwani. As a theatre director he staged Teen Paishacha Tamasha [4] and Apoorva Meghdoot [5] with a cast of blind artists. He also published Sparshagandh, [6] the first Braille Diwali magazine, in 1998 and worked for some time as editor and publisher of Sparshdnyan, [7] [8] [9] [10] the first registered fortnightly Braille newspaper in India (founded 15 February 2008). He has also been Chief Editor of Reliance Drishti, [11] [12] the most widely printed and read Braille fortnightly newspaper in India, which was founded in March 2012.

Awards and recognition

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Braille</span> Tactile writing system

Braille is a tactile writing system used by people who are visually impaired. It can be read either on embossed paper or by using refreshable braille displays that connect to computers and smartphone devices. Braille can be written using a slate and stylus, a braille writer, an electronic braille notetaker or with the use of a computer connected to a braille embosser.

Perkins School for the Blind, in Watertown, Massachusetts, was founded in 1829 and is the oldest school for the blind in the United States. It has also been known as the Perkins Institution for the Blind.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blindness and education</span> Education of students with vision impairment

The subject of blindness and education has included evolving approaches and public perceptions of how best to address the special needs of blind students. The practice of institutionalizing the blind in asylums has a history extending back over a thousand years, but it was not until the 18th century that authorities created schools for them where blind children, particularly those more privileged, were usually educated in such specialized settings. These institutions provided simple vocational and adaptive training, as well as grounding in academic subjects offered through alternative formats. Literature, for example, was being made available to blind students by way of embossed Roman letters.

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is an American non-profit organization for people with vision loss. AFB's objectives include conducting research to advance change, promoting knowledge and understanding, and shaping policies and practices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visual impairment</span> Decreased ability to see

Visual or vision impairment is the partial or total inability of visual perception. In the absence of treatment such as corrective eyewear, assistive devices, and medical treatment – visual impairment may cause the individual difficulties with normal daily tasks including reading and walking. The terms low vision and blindness are often used for levels of impairment which are difficult or impossible to correct and significantly impact daily life. In addition to the various permanent conditions, fleeting temporary vision impairment, amaurosis fugax, may occur, and may indicate serious medical problems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School</span> Public special school in Vinton, Iowa, United States

Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School was a state-operated school for the blind. It was replaced by the Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Vinton, Iowa, hosted the school and continued as host of the state agency that replaced it until 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal National College for the Blind</span> College in Hereford, UK

The Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) is a co-educational specialist residential college of further education based in the English city of Hereford. Students who attend the college are aged 16 to 25 and blind or partially sighted. They can study a wide range of qualifications at RNC, from academic subjects such as English and Mathematics to more vocational topics such as Massage and Complementary Therapies. Alongside regular further education subjects and vocational training, the college offers training in mobility, assistive technology, Braille, independent living skills and personal development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saibaba Goud</span> Indian ophthalmologist

Alampur Saibaba Goud is an Indian ophthalmologist and founder-chairman of the Devnar Foundation for the Blind. He is also a social entrepreneur, and active in the voluntary organization at Secunderabad in Telangana, a state of India. He works in the field of providing aid to visually challenged and visually disabled children in India.

Braille technology is assistive technology which allows blind or visually impaired people to read, write, or manipulate braille electronically. This technology allows users to do common tasks such as writing, browsing the Internet, typing in Braille and printing in text, engaging in chat, downloading files and music, using electronic mail, burning music, and reading documents. It also allows blind or visually impaired students to complete all assignments in school as the rest of their sighted classmates and allows them to take courses online. It enables professionals to do their jobs and teachers to lecture using hardware and software applications. The advances in Braille technology are meaningful because blind people can access more texts, books, and libraries, and it also facilitates the printing of Braille texts.

A sighted child who is reading at a basic level should be able to understand common words and answer simple questions about the information presented. They should also have enough fluency to get through the material in a timely manner. Over the course of a child's education, these foundations are built on to teach higher levels of math, science, and comprehension skills. Children who are blind not only have the education disadvantage of not being able to see: they also miss out on the very fundamental parts of early and advanced education if not provided with the necessary tools.

Christian Record Services for the Blind is a non-profit organization that serves people who are legally blind and visually impaired. "Christian Record Services for the Blind is an international organization serving blind and visually impaired individuals in approximately 70 countries worldwide and employs about 15 people." It is a ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church but services blind people regardless of beliefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Braille Institute of America</span> Nonprofit organization

The Braille Institute of America (BIA) is a nonprofit organization with headquarters in Los Angeles providing programs, seminars and one-on-one instruction for the visually impaired community in Southern California. Funded almost entirely by private donations, all of the institute's services are provided completely free of charge. The organization has seven regional centers: Anaheim, Coachella Valley, Laguna Hills, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego and Santa Barbara, as well as outreach programs at more than 200 locations throughout Southern California. It is a member of the Braille Authority of North America.

Warwickshire Vision Support is a registered charity in England providing rehabilitation services for adults with visual impairments to enable them to live independently.

Mitra Jyothi established in 1990, is a charitable trust registered under Indian Trust Act based in Bangalore. Its aims to support the visually impaired through various programs it offers. These programs include Talking Book Library, Computer Training Center, Independent Living Skills, Braille Transcription Center and Job Placement. It received State Award in 2010 from the Directorate of Disabled Welfare and Senior Citizens, Government of Karnataka for its exemplary service for persons with disabilities. Mitra Jyothi is also a member of the DAISY Forum of India (DFI). DFI is a forum of Not for profit organizations from India who are involved in production of books and reading materials in accessible formats for persons who cannot read normal print.

Chakshumathi is a nongovernmental, not for profit organization based in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, working for developing resources for the use of visually impaired people. It is an "Empowerment and Assistive Technology Centre for Blind". The organization, which was inaugurated in June 2011, is a member of DAISY Forum of India. The organization is currently headed by V.K. Damodaran, a former President of Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reliance Foundation</span> Private non-profit organization by Reliance Industries Ltd

Reliance Foundation is an Indian non-profit organisation which was founded in 2010 by Mukesh Ambani. It is wholly owned by Reliance Industries Limited and is one of the largest non-profit foundations in the country.

OrCam devices such as OrCam MyEye are portable, artificial vision devices that allow visually impaired people to understand text and identify objects through audio feedback, describing what they are unable to see.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiffany Brar</span> Indian social activist

Tiffany Brar is an Indian community service worker who became blind as an infant due to oxygen toxicity. Brar is the founder of the Jyothirgamaya Foundation, a non-profit organization that teaches life skills to blind people of all ages. She is a trainer, a campaigner for disability awareness and an advocates for an inclusive society.

Georgia Duckworth Trader was an American philanthropist, co-founder of Clovernook, a home for blind women, Clovernook Braille Press, and of the Cincinnati Library Society for the Blind.

The Illinois School for the Visually Impaired (ISVI), located in Jacksonville, Illinois, is a state-operated pre-kindergarten, elementary and high school for the blind and visually impaired. The school provides educational instruction and other resources for not only its school-aged students but also for persons up to age 21.

References

  1. Menon, Sudha (15 January 2008). "Marathi magazine to be launched in Feb is first Braille fortnightly". mint. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  2. "Braille Man of India - who gave new vision to the Blind". RISE FOR INDIA. 16 February 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  3. "A dream come true". The Hindu. 6 September 2013. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  4. Rowe, Maggie (2018), "Counselling the Visually-impaired Adult", The Visually Impaired, Routledge, pp. 85–95, doi:10.4324/9780429486845-9, ISBN   978-0-429-48684-5 , retrieved 11 July 2020
  5. "नवी दृष्टी देणारं 'अपूर्व मेघदूत'". Loksatta (in Marathi). 2 April 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  6. Salgaokar, Shakti (3 May 2011). "Special: Shining some light for the blind". DNA India. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  7. Westhead, Rick (22 May 2011). "Braille newspaper shows blind new world". Sunday Guardian. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  8. Ajmera, Ankit (1 May 2011). "In touch with the headlines". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  9. Dhinda, Archisman (8 August 2013). "Swagat Thorat on why he started India's first Braille magazine". Gulf News. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  10. "Braille newspaper helps thousands stay informed in India". thestar.com. 1 May 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  11. "Reliance Foundation Drishti – Providing Vision – Reliance Foundation". Reliancefoundation.org. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  12. "अब दृष्टिहीन पढ़ सकेंगे हिन्दी अख़बार". BBC (in Hindi). 20 March 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  13. Hingorani, Priya (20 March 2012). "Reliance launches Braille newspaper with Real Hero". News18. Retrieved 11 July 2020.