Visual impairment no disability for this boy from Valley

Rifat Mohidin

Srinagar, June 3

He may be visually impaired but this is no hurdle for 25-year-old Abrar Ahmad Bhat from Srinagar. This disability does not stop him from pursuing his dream of getting education from Delhi University and cracking civil services exam.

One may find it impossible to travel to different parts of the country in such a condition, but Abrar travels to Delhi and Dehradun alone without accompanying anyone.

“I am pursuing my Bachelors in Arts (BA) from Delhi University. In 2003 I got night blindness and in 2008 I lost my full sight. But I did not stop pursuing my education,” Abrar said, who has been a brilliant student from childhood. Abrar is the first student from Kashmir to learn latest skills for visually impaired using Chinese and Japanese technology from Dehradun so that he can operate modern gadgets.

“I was admitted to a rehabilitation centre in Srinagar but that was not good. A person goes into depression there. Then my friends helped me to go to the National Institute of Visually Impaired and Handicapped (NIVH) in Dehradun, where I learnt how to operate different things. I am the first-batch student of visually impaired in India and we are taught different technologies here,” he said.

Abrar does not want his family to feel that he is less than anybody else. “I use Facebook, Gmail and WhatsApp. I use laptop and everything using the software such as Non-Visual Desktop Access (NVDA). This software has all languages added in it for the visually impaired and currently I am trying to install Kashmiri language into it for people like me who belong to this place and lack facilities,” said Abrar, who hails from a congested locality of Solina in Srinagar.

He also uses software such as Jaws and Speech to hear lectures as he cannot read. Despite having limitations and difficulties Abrar travels from his home to Delhi with the help of a stick.

“I go alone, but whenever I need any help I ask people around. My family is very poor and I want to do something for them. They are doing everything to educate me,” says Abrar, who has three young siblings.

His mother said he tries to help her in domestic work as well. “He fixes switches and fittings at home and never gets tired of trying,” she says. When asked about his dream, Abrar is very clear in his mind and wants to go for civil services. “I know it will be very difficult for me, I know there will be many hurdles but I don’t think it is impossible, I will give my best,” he said.