UditVani, NewsDesk: World Braille Day, observed on January 4th, marks the birthday of Louis Braille, the innovator who created a tactile writing system that transformed communication for blind and partially sighted individuals.
World Braille Day, celebrated since 2019, is observed to raise awareness of the importance of Braille as a means of communication in the full realization of the human rights of blind and partially sighted people.
What is Braille?
Braille is a tactile system that uses six raised dots to represent alphabetic and numerical symbols, as well as musical, mathematical, and scientific notations. Developed in 19th-century France by Louis Braille, it enables blind and partially sighted individuals to read the same books and periodicals that are printed in standard visual fonts.
50 lakh people with visual impairment in India
Eye conditions are remarkably common. According to the 2011 Census, there are 50,32,463 persons with visual impairment in India. Persons with disabilities, accounting for over a billion people worldwide, face significant barriers to accessing healthcare, education, and employment. They often experience higher rates of violence, neglect, and poverty, making them among the most marginalized in society.
Demographic Status for Persons with Visual Impairment
Government Initiatives for the Empowerment of Visually Impaired Persons
The Central Government has undertaken a comprehensive array of initiatives to empower visually impaired individuals, emphasizing their rights, education, employment, and overall well-being. Key initiatives include:
Making Information Accessible
- Collaboration with the National Association for the Blindaimed to make approximately 10,000 pages of documents, including government schemes and legal reliefs, accessible to persons with visual disabilities.
- MoUs signed with Inclusive Science, Mission Accessibility, and the National Association for the Blind, focused on enhancing mobile application accessibility through AI technology. Another MoU with Vision Divyang Foundation aimed to use AI to guide PwDs on eligibility for government schemes.
National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (Divyangjan)
The National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Impairment (NIEPVD) (Divyangjan) is working in the field of visual disability for the education, training, rehabilitation & empowerment of persons with visual impairment since 1943. During the period 2023-24, 2,94,388 persons (New Cases, Follow-up & Supportive Services) were benefitted through different services/programmes under the institute.
Braille Development Unit
The Braille Development Unit is a key component of the Department of Special Education and Research, playing a pivotal role in the creation of Braille codes for various Indian languages. In addition to its existing publications, the institute is working on the development of a ‘Manual on Bharti Braille,’ aimed at promoting Braille literacy and ensuring standardization throughout India.
Model School for the Visually Handicapped (MSVH)
The Model School for the Visually Handicapped (MSVH) provides comprehensive education to children with visual impairments, from Bal Vatika (preschool) to senior secondary levels, catering to a diverse cross-section of society. In addition to offering free education, the school also provides boarding and lodging, uniforms, books, and necessary equipment. It ensures the holistic development of its students by incorporating a variety of extracurricular activities into the curriculum. In the academic year 2023-24, the school has educated 243 children with visual impairments.
National Accessible Library
The NIEPVD is also running a National Accessible Library that offers learning materials in various accessible formats, including Braille, large print, audio, and ePub, for individuals with visual impairments. The library serves over 55,000 members and holds around 1,58,901 Braille volumes, 20,784 print books, and more than 7,100 audio titles. Additionally, the Institute manages an Online Braille Library, Sugamya Pustkalaya, which features 6,79,120 titles.
Braille literature in 14 languages
NIEPVD has put in place an impressive infrastructure for printing Braille textbooks and magazines. It comprises the Central Braille Press established in 1951, the Regional Braille Press established in 2008 at Chennai and 25 other Braille Presses established by the Government. With the combined efforts of these Braille Presses, the Braille literature in the following 14 languages is being published:
English, Hindi, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Telugu, Tamil, Urdu, Assamese, Bangla, Garo, Khasi, Kannada, Lusai and Nagamese.
The initiatives reflects that India is making strides toward ensuring that visually impaired individuals can live with dignity, independence, and equality. As we celebrate the achievements of Louis Braille and countless individuals who continue to champion accessibility, let us pledge to build a society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their abilities.
उदित वाणी 
टेलीग्राम पर भी उपलब्ध है। यहां क्लिक करके आप सब्सक्राइब कर सकते हैं।