One of the universal comments about India is, ” Your senses will be assaulted” which is pretty much true….thus universal in truth. What if you were unable to see the vibrant colors, the friendly smiles, the cows wondering in the streets, the monkey dangling from all sorts of places? There are 15 million native Indians who are partially or totally blind and unable to see the incredible world around them. The population of the world’s low or none seeing peoples is 37 millions. So India has 1 out of 3 of the non-sighted people on earth. And guess what? 75% of these people in India could be treated and returned to sight. The blindness is avoidable. 153 million need reading glasses and there are only 20 optometrist schools in India with only 1000 graduates a year. Think how we can buy a pair of reading glasses for just a few dollars at the drug store in the States. Imagine never being able to read …or see your computer screen. The rest of the correctable seeing impaired people need cataract operations to restore their sight. Think how blessed we are with the availability and success of this outpatient procedure in the developed world.
I have had little personal contact with blind or partially sighted people in India. I know there must be mobility teachers available as I have actually seen people with white canes navigating the streets and what’s more……the traffic.
Usually, a kind Indian will take the person’s arm to steer them safely across the streets. And they can hear perfectly well the never ending honking which never ceased to frighten me as we crossed the streets. In the States, drivers honk their horns to alert someone, it India it is a continual symphonic blast just because they can. I was frightened and I see and hear perfectly well. You must know that pedestrians have NO rights in India! I have two mobility teacher friends, one in New York and one in Arizona. They are courageous in their desire to help the blind become as independent as they are able by learning to navigate their world. At Himalaya Mall, the elevator operator was blind. You tell him a floor number and his hand goes there immediately and without touching for the braille numbers. He welcomes riders with a polite greetings and all with the lovely Indian smile. As always for me, it is the older people and children who are reduced to begging because of poverty or a condition such as blindness that stir my heart.
From some research, I learned of one company in India who is using partially sighted people to reach out to its prepaid customers . It is Vodafone India Ltd. The workers undergo training on voice recognition systems instead of braille. They work in Vodafone Stores in the Delhi area. Vodafone is another responsible capitalist company in India.
The BPA or Blind People’s Association of India was founded by a group of blind philanthropists in 1954 ,dedicated to help promote self-reliance for the visually impaired of India. There are numerous programs as well as schools where children learn mobility and braille. One of the most interesting opportunities is the blind masseuse program where they come to your home or hotel for a 45 minute therapeutic massage. Same gender masseuses give whole body massages including the head and face. The therapeutic techniques focus on relaxation of the muscle and nervous system. 
Further information can be obtained at BPA – phone number 079 26303346
“To be blind is not miserable;not to be able to bear blindness , that is miserable.” John Milton
Namaste. . . . . .T I I
TalesAlongTheWay 
Dear Annet Bell,
I have nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award today, along with six other outstanding bloggers. Please accept this well deserved award. The details are given at my blog: http://deodatusblog.wordpress.com/2013/06/19/nominating-seven-outstanding-bloggers-for-the-very-inspiring-blogger-award/
Thanks in advance.
-Deo
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Deo, thank you ever so much for this kind nomination. I will check it out!
Smiles. . . namaste. . .Anne
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Thanks Annet. I appreciate.
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Nice article & an eyes opener, thanks for sharing.
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Reblogged this on Oyia Brown.
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Hello, lovely to meet you~
A beautiful, inspiring and important post.
Thank you for sharing this.
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You are most welcome. I am always delighted if people take time to read my posts, and like them! Thanks for taking time to comment. Namaste. . . .Anne
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It is my pleasure. I have fallen in love with incredible India! Namaste. . . Anne
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wow, that was eye-opening..to say the least. makes me want to run to the dollar store and get hundreds of granny glasses and send them over. At least help the ones who can still see a bit. I truly can’t imagine not being able to see God’s Majesty each day..you’d just have to kill me. Great article! 🙂
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We take so much to be thankful that we take for granted. . . Cheep glasses, indoor plumbing. You have given me an idea of taking glasses to hand out kid we are blessed to go again!
Blessings. . .Anne
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oh lucky you…were are you…I would send you a box of them if you think it would be a good idea. the only reason I thought of it, is my eyes are going bad, and I go through a pair every month or so…but then again I throw them around…lol
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My only concern if we sent some reading glasses is how they will be distributed. I am back in NY. There was a church , two of the students and I attended a few times. North of India church. I could see if I could get in touch with the pastor to see if he could distribute them to people who need it . What do you think? Any other ideas?
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sure, if you know a contact we can trust…find out if they would be interested…I’m game! I’ll just box em up and send them…but we need to be sure they would be distributed FREE by someone you know and have an address for…
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Thank you ever so much for the reblog. I am curious what it was that you liked. I also have a post on KFC in Ahmedabad…Kentucky Fried Chicken at Alpha One Mall and the hearing and speech impaired workers there! Namaste. . . .
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FYI about KFC
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Reblogged this on Runjhun kejriwal and commented:
“To be blind is not miserable;not to be able to bear blindness , that is miserable.” John Milton
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Many thanks with the reblog! I am curious what you liked about my post? Do you have a connection with blindness in India?
Namaste. . . .
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hello, i am from india. what i liked about your post, i cannot tell. when i read your post, i was in pain and after i read your post i realised i am still blessed to have my eyes. being an artist my eyes are my world i guess. we take vision, health for granted and have problems over tiny issues. a blog of yours then comes as a gentle reminder as to how blessed we are. thanks
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Oh thank you for taking time to write
me and bless me with your wise insight. I hope you visit again soon and often. Bless you!
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am just a fellow wanderer inspired by you to smile through it all. thank you
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Stay in-touch, girl!
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HI, Anne! How interesting that the first post I read is about blindness! I returned to full time teaching of the blind four years ago, after being out of the field for 23 years! There are so many misconceptions that people have in the USA about the blind and visually impaired, that it is hard to fathom what misconceptions exist in the third world countries. I am relieved to hear that things are actually improving for the visually impaired in India. Perhaps some day God will give me an opportunity to take some things I have learned along the way to a country that does not have the resources we have here.
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I lost my first reply…grrr…. I am so glad you were touched by this story. People would ask me what is being done in India for the “least among us?” I did some research. I hope if we are blessed to go again in 2015, I will take as many pairs of “readers” from the Dollar Store for the older women , even if they don’t read, they need to thread needles and cook…Make their lives better by a bit! The Good Citizen KFC was first hand…we went often though we NEVER eat there here! I pray that you would be able to take your knowledge, experience and gentle spirit to this gentle giant of a country to bring sight to the blind! I have some more stories of blind people we saw out and about. . . .moving through the traffic that scared me silly and I could see. At one point, I thought I should just shut my eyes and pray…..and I realized that is what I should be doing either way! Hugs!
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Many thanks! (Trying tp get your comment on my post!) Technology. . . ..grr.r.r.r.
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Grr is right! I was hit by a large wall when I returned to the field. Technology had exploded for the blind, and I had a tall steep learning curve to climb!
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I always love your humor! But I think we don ‘t do too badly for two old birds!
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