T N Ashok /
New Delhi: Photographs taken by the sightless? It’s not some kind of prank but an exceptional display of photographs taken by the blind of the blind seen at the premises of the British Council here.
The event took place on the occasion of the international day of persons with disabilities. It was organised by Sightsavers, a development organisation that works to prevent avoidable blindness, restore sight and advocate for social inclusion and equal rights for people with disabilities.
The photos were showcased in the exhibition as part of ‘The Blind View’ campaign – a photography workshop initiated by Sightsavers in association with Beyond Sight Foundation for the visually impaired photography enthusiasts and is being supported by Her Highness Sheikha Arwa Al Qassimi.
On display were about 30 photographs depicting different themes which blind participants had taken of other blind or visually impaired participants doing a series of interesting activities. Each picture portrayed a unique story in itself representing different aspects of the blind experience.
Present at the event were Raghu Rai, the world renowned photographer and photojournalist, RN Mohanty, CEO, Sightsavers (India), Gill Caldicott Director Operations, British Council India and Partho Bhowmick, Founder, Beyond Sight Foundation.
“This initiative is our effort to showcase the glimpses of the life of a blind person – how they perform their daily chores, how do they use assistive technology to their advantage at the office and so on…” said RN Mohanty, CEO Sightsavers (India).
Mr. Bhowmick, Founder, Beyond Sight Foundation said, “The photography workshop took place earlier this year and the participants were trained to click perfect pictures under skilled supervision. The workshop had also witnessed participation of a renowned visually impaired photographer Bhavesh Patel, who did a photo-shoot of Bollywood Actress Katrina Kaif.”
Gill Caldicott Director Operations, British Council India, said, “British Council is delighted to partner with Sightsavers to provide a platform to these amazingly talented photographers to project their work. Sightsavers’s photography exhibition is a great initiative which not only showcases the work and talent of the visually impaired, but also gives a chance to the general public to appreciate the beauty pictured by them in their photographs.”
The photos captured in Mumbai, Bangalore and finally in Delhi were exhibited at the British Council were made available for both societal leaders and general public to view. In addition to the photo exhibition, Sightsavers had arranged for a musical performance showcasing talented visually impaired singers. This was conducted in partnership with Hosla Charitable Trust. The event ended with fun filled and interesting activities that would offer visitors a closer look at a blind person’s life.
About Sightsavers:
Sightsavers is a registered charity that works to prevent blindness, restore sight and advocate for social inclusion and equal rights for people with disabilities. The organisation has been working in India since 1966. Sightsavers in India till date has been successful in reaching out to 53.4 million people, conducting 36.2 million eye treatments, performing 4.9 million eye operations.
(For more information, log on to www.sightsaversindia.in)