Tiffany Brar

Last updated

Tiffany Brar
Tiffany Brar.jpg
Personal details
Born
Tiffany Maria Brar

Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Parent(s)Tej Pratap Singh Brar,
Leslie Brar
Alma mater Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, Coimbatore
OccupationFounder of Jyothirgamaya Foundation, Disability Rights Activist
Profession Social worker, Special educator
Known forSocial activist, Motivational Speaker, Inclusion, Disability rights and Advocacy
AwardsNational Award from the President of India for Best Role Model, Holman Prize, Nari Shakti Puraskar the highest civilian Honour for woman in India from the President of India

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 [1] 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. [2]

Contents

Early life and education

Tiffany Brar is the only daughter of General T. P. S. Brar and Leslie Brar. [3] Tiffany was born in Chennai, India, where her father was posted, and grew up in Punjab. [4]

Tiffany Brar had Terry Syndrome and became blind six months after her birth. [5] [1] Due to her father's occupation, [5] Brar travelled widely. Because she was blind, verbal communication was important and she became multilingual. [6] [7]

During her childhood, Brar learnt to fluently speak five Indian languages. [5] She started her education in Great Britain while her father was posted there. [4] [1] When her family returned to India, Brar studied in schools for the blind, in integrated schools and in military schools. [5] After completing her primary education in Kerala, her father was transferred to Darjeeling, where Tiffany studied at the Mary Scott Home for the Blind. [5]

As a blind person, Brar found school difficult. [1] She was made to sit at the back of the class and was sometimes not allowed to answer questions. Her Braille notes either arrived late or did not arrive at all. [1] She was sheltered and protected by her parents. [7]

At her schools, Brar experienced segregation and isolation by other pupils, and was excluded from events. She reached first position in the CBSE board exam in 12th grade [4] in a school alongside sighted counterparts.

After completing school in 2006, Brar joined for the bachelor's degree programme in English literature at Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, affiliated to the University of Kerala. [5] After graduating in 2009, Brar started working for Braille Without Borders as a telephone operator. [8] [5] She travelled to various organizations where she came across many underprivileged blind people who were confined to their homes and lacked proper training. [5] During one trip, she found roads are slippery or covered with stones, making them unsuitable for blind people, and that in some parts of India, blind people are confined to their homes by unsupportive societies. This encouraged her to found the Jyothirgamaya Foundation [1] to support the education of blind and partially sighted children. [1] In Kerela, visually impaired children are trained in Malayalam, the regional language, through text-recognition software but do not attend special schools and are taught neither Braille nor English. Brar campaigns though Jyothirgamaya to change the system. [8]

After working for two years, Brar pursued her B.Ed in special education (visual impairment) from Sree Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University in Coimbatore. [4] In July 2012, she began running the Jyothirgamaya (meaning "leading to light") mobile school for the blind. The idea for the organization came from a retired police officer from Tamil Nadu, N. Krishnaswamy, to help children constrained by poverty, disability, or distance. [8]

In 2018, the Government of India praised Brar for her efforts during flooding in Wayanad, where she collected materials for relief camps. [9]

Brar now travels alone throughout India and abroad. [10] [11]

Career

Tiffany Brar's first job was as a receptionist, after which, she studied for a B.Ed in special education at Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University then went on to found the Jyothirgamaya Foundation in July 2012 [12] to improve the lot of blind and partially sighted people in Kerala. [13] [14]

Brar set up a mobile school for blind children, saying; "If the blind cannot go to school then the school shall go to them." [15] She was inspired with this idea after her leadership training at Kanthari run by a German lady, Sabriye Tenberken and her Dutch partner, Paul Kronenberg at Vellayani. [3]

Through the Jyothirgamaya Foundation, Brar trains blind people in Braille, mobility, basic computer use, and life skills. [9] She has also recently initiated a project, Road to Independence, which holds training camps in Kerala. She is an artist, teacher and motivational speaker, [16] and has served as an ambassador for the WWF's 2016 Earth Hour campaign in India. [17] In 2020 she, became the first Indian to receive Holman Prize from the US-based organisation LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired. [3]

In 2019, Brar opened a preparatory school and kindergarten for visually-impaired children in Thiruvananthapuram, which was inaugurated by Kerala Health Minister K.K.Shailaja. [18]

Tiffany Brar while protesting for accessible currency in Trivandrum,2018 Tiffany Brar protesting for accessible currecny for the Blind.jpg
Tiffany Brar while protesting for accessible currency in Trivandrum,2018
Brar attending the screening of a documentary about social change makers around the world at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium in 2017 Tiffany Brar In EU Parliament.JPG
Brar attending the screening of a documentary about social change makers around the world at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium in 2017

Brar designed the Tiffy template, which was built by inventor Paul D'Souza; it is a small template that identifies Indian currency notes to prevent blind people from being cheated by traders. [19] [20]

Awards

Tiffany Brar receiving the Nari Shakti Puraskar, the Highest Civilian Honor for Women for outstanding contribution to women's empowerment from the Honorable President of India Ram Nath Kovind on 8 March 2022 on the occasion of International Women's Day Nari Shakti Puraskar to Tiffany Brar for empowering visually impaired rural women.jpg
Tiffany Brar receiving the Nari Shakti Puraskar, the Highest Civilian Honor for Women for outstanding contribution to women's empowerment from the Honorable President of India Ram Nath Kovind on 8 March 2022 on the occasion of International Women's Day
Tiffany Brar receiving National Award for Best Role Model from the Honourable President of India, Dr.Ram Nath Kovind on 3 December 2017 on the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities Tiffany Brar receiving National Award from the President of India,Dr.Ram Nath Kovind.jpg
Tiffany Brar receiving National Award for Best Role Model from the Honourable President of India, Dr.Ram Nath Kovind on 3 December 2017 on the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Recognition

Tiffany Brar with former president of India Dr.A. P. J. Abdul Kalam during his visit in Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram Tiffany photo Abdul Kalam.jpg
Tiffany Brar with former president of India Dr.A. P. J. Abdul Kalam during his visit in Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram

Related Research Articles

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.

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">Sabriye Tenberken</span> German tibetologist

Sabriye Tenberken is a German tibetologist and co-founder of the organisation Braille Without Borders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mrinalini Sarabhai</span> Indian classical dancer

Mrinalini Vikram Sarabhai was an Indian classical dancer, choreographer and instructor. She was the founder and director of the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, an institute for imparting training in dance, drama, music and puppetry, in the city of Ahmedabad. She received Padma Bhushan in 1992 and Padma Shri in 1965. She also received many other citations in recognition of her contribution to art.

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

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All India Chess Federation for the Blind</span>

The All India Chess Federation for the Blind (AICFB) is the governing body for the game of Chess among visually impaired in India. It was formed in 1997 with a view to promoting the game of chess among the visually impaired all over the country. It is registered under Society Registration Act, 1860; Public Trust Act, 1951 and Income Tax Act, 1961 – Section 12A.

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.

Jawahar Lal Kaul is an Indian social worker and the founder of the All India Conference of the Blind, an NGO working towards the rehabilitation of the blind. He was honoured by the Government of India, in 2014, which bestowed on him the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, for his services to the field of arts.

Bertha Gyndykes Dkhar is a visually impaired Indian educationist, best known as the inventor of the braille code in Khasi. In 2010, the Government of India awarded her with the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richa Maheshwari</span> Fashion photographer

Richa Maheshwari is a Delhi-based fashion photographer. She started practicing fashion photography and short film making commercially after college and is now the CEO of Richa Maheshwari Film & Photography.

Khda Reh Ke Dalvaunga, popularly known as Jagdishbhai, is an Indian visually impaired social worker and one of the 3 founders of the Blind People's Association of India, along with his wife and Kanubhai Ambalal Thaker an Ahmedabad based non governmental organization promoting the interests of the people with physical disabilities. He is a recipient of the Indian civilian honour of the Padma Shri.

Madhu Singhal is a social activist who works on projects for people with disabilities. The social activities taken upon by her focuses on promoting education and generating job opportunities for people with disabilities. She has won National Award for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in 2008. She is the founder of Mitra Jyothi which serves people with disabilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jyothirgamaya Foundation</span>

Jyothirgamaya Foundation is a nonprofit organization, based in Thiruvananthapuram Kerala which is actively involved in the empowerment of persons with visual impairment founded in 2015 by Tiffany Brar. The project started as a mobile blind school in 2012. Tiffany Brar herself, traveled through rural areas in public transport in search of blind people of all ages in rural areas in India, with the aim of bringing out of the four walls of their house, to which they are confined, and brings a new light to their eyes, which has nothing to do with their eyesight. Jyothirgamaya Foundation holds Special consultative status with United Nations.

C. A. Ansar is an Indian visually impaired practitioner of alternative medicine and the chief consultant at Dr. Ansar's Healing Touch, a healthcare center based in Kochi. He is known for his alternative medical practice which combines the therapeutic techniques of reflexology, yoga, naturopathy and ayurveda. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Government of Kerala awarded him the Social Justice Award in 2017 for his contributions in the field of healthcare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gargi Gupta</span> Indian social worker

Gargi Gupta is the founder and secretary of Voice Of World (NGO), a multi-unit non-profit organization for visually impaired, disabled, and orphaned children in Eastern India, headquartered in Kolkata, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pushpa Preeya</span> Indian scribe, IT professional and volunteer

Pushpa Preeya also known as either Pushpa NM or Pushpa N. M. is an Indian scribe, IT professional, social activist and volunteer. She is well known for her voluntary service of writing exams for visually impaired people.

Ashwini Angadi is a global ambassador and advocate of disability rights. She is known for making education accessible to the underprivileged and disabled in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikisha Jariwala</span> Indian computer scientist

Nikisha B. Jariwala is an Indian professor and computer science researcher known for her work in devising a computer model for converting Indian text into Braille. She is a Professor of Computer Science at Smt. Tanuben & Dr. Manubhai Trivedi College of Information Science.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adaeze Atuegwu</span> Nigerian American novelist (born 1977)

Adaeze Ifeoma Atuegwu(listen) is a Nigerian-American novelist and writer whose works include novels, children's stories, medical non-fiction, and drama. She is considered one of Nigeria's youngest most prolific authors with 17 books published by the age of seventeen.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Tiffany's next, pre-school for visually impaired kids". Tribuneindia News Service. 12 June 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  2. ↑ "Welcome to Jyothirgamaya Foundation! | Jyothirgamaya". www.jyothirgamayaindia.org. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Tiffany Brar bags Holman Prize 2020". The New Indian Express. 30 August 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 George, Sanu (10 June 2019). "Visually challenged Tiffany Brar has big vision". thehansindia.com. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Krishnan, Madhuvanti S. (7 January 2016). "From darkness to light". The Hindu. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  6. ↑ "Dispelling Darkness- Jyothirgamaya Foundation's Tiffany Brar". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  7. 1 2 Koshy, Sneha Mary (5 September 2015). "Visually Impaired Teacher Helps Others See the World". NDTV.com.
  8. 1 2 3 Ramadurai, Charukesi (29 August 2013). "India's mobile school for blind students puts empowerment on the curriculum | Charukesi Ramadurai". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 "Tiffany Brar of Jyothirgamaya Foundation gets Mindtree Helen Keller Award". The New Indian Express. 4 December 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  10. ↑ "From darkness to light". The Hindu. 7 January 2016. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  11. ↑ "Tiffany Brar". YouTube . 10 November 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  12. ↑ "Behold a world unseen". The Hindu. 23 July 2012. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  13. ↑ "They Say the Blind Should Not Lead the Blind. She Proves Them Wrong". The Better India. 22 December 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  14. ↑ "Tiffany Brar, the blind woman who now lead other people through 'Jyothirgamaya' - MotivateMe.in". MotivateMe.in. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  15. ↑ "A Star Named 'Tiffany'". The Citizen. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  16. ↑ "Dispelling Darkness- Jyothirgamaya Foundation's Tiffany Brar". The New Indian Express. 8 March 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  17. ↑ "Interview Of The Week: Outshining The Darkness - Trivandrum News | Yentha.com". www.yentha.com. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  18. 1 2 "This 28-year-old woman plans to change lives of visually-challenged children of Trivandrum". The New Indian Express. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  19. ↑ "TIFFY TEMPLATE: NOW, NO CHEATING THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED!" . Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  20. ↑ "Bengaluru man invents device to help the blind distinguish fake currency". Deccan Chronicle. 31 January 2017.
  21. ↑ "This Kerala-based visually-challenged activist vows to empower disabled". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  22. ↑ Chandran, Cynthia (18 July 2019). "Thiruvananthapuram: Tiffany to start 'school' for visually challenged". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  23. ↑ http://jyothirgamayaindia.org/content/president-calls-tiffany-courageous-daughter-india The courageous daughter of India
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.