IT industry is the biggest employer of the visually challenged in India; Ritika Sahni, Founder of NGO Trinayani and the Disability Awareness Expert

Hyderabad, December 13, 2017: Talk on “The only disability in Life is a bad attitude” held here in the city at Hotel Park on Wednesday.

Organized by FICCI Ladies Organization, the talk was addressed by Rahul Bajaj, Advocate & Rhodes Scholar and Ritika Sahni, Founder—NGO Trinayani.

Rhodes Scholar is an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford and is widely considered to be one of the world's most prestigious scholarships.

The talk was attended by 150 FLO members.

Welcoming the gathering, Kamini Saraf, Chairperson of FLO said, FLO has been conducting good mix of programs for the benefit of its members. Rahul Bajaj story is very inspiring. And I am sure it will motivate all of us.

Nothing can stop, if you have right attitude. Disability is just a state of mind. Right attitude is the game changer, added Kamini.

Addressing the gathering, Rahul Bajaj, who is born blind, very pleasingly said that he wouldn’t fully agree with the title of the talk. Being disabled in India is a significant challenge. Neither I agree that disabled are specially abled. Disabled are just like you and me. Disabled must be treated like you and me, as a normal human beings, he said. You ca not hide your disability. Don’t shy away from your disability. Confront the challenge, he told the gathering.

Neither do I fully endorse, disabled being addressed as “Divyang’. You can’t isolate disabled. Being disabled is not easy in India. Don’t underestimate disabled, he told.

All what disabled want is equal opportunities. They need to go to mainstream schools. They don’t need separate education, Rahul Bajaj told.

Only 10 per cent of the population is disabled and rest of the ninety per cent population are abled. What 90 per cent of population thinks about disabled effects the 10 per cent. That is why I have been working with 90 per cent of the population to create awareness about the disability informed Ritika Sahni, Founder of NGO Trinayani.

Disabled are not neighter special nor differently abled. They are normal, like all of us. For every mother, her child is very special. If you go by that way every special child is a disabled person. People with disabilities are also disabled. So parents much teach children disabled etiquette, how to deal with disabled. Disabled are normal human beings. They have lot of capabilities despite of disabilities, she said.

Ritika Sahni showed how disabled, especially visually challenged need to be assisted and not to be dragged.

Speaking further, Ritika Sahni added that if you don’t create accessible toilets, that is when you are also creating disability. Disabled must be given equal amenities like normally beings are provided. So that disabled are not isolated. And they need to lead a normal life. We need disabled friendly buildings and public conveniences, she said.

IT industry is the biggest employer of visually challenged in this country. This proves that disabled can do wonders, if given opportunities. Disabled may have disabilities, but they are abled, she told . Technology is changing the lives of people with disabilities, she said. 90 per cent of the population need to understand that what 10 per cent of the people with disabilities are going through, she stated.

In India people with disabilities don’t get represented adequately in policy making, she stated.

Rahul Bajaj is born blind with a rare retinal condition called Leber congenital amaurosis, Rahul is an alumnus of Nagpur University. He has have passed the Rhodes Trust's rigorous interviews to earn a fully-paid for place to continue his studies of law at Oxford University. The Rhodes Scholarship, which is named after the British mining magnate and South African politician Cecil John Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford. It is widely considered to be one of the world's most prestigious scholarships.

TRINAYANI was founded in 2006 with a purpose of combating discrimination against people with disabilities. It’s main focus has been to assist and encourage individuals with disabilities in making their mark and functioning as a part of mainstream society. Do you know how many Indians are disabled and how many people are becoming disabled everyday as results of Diseases, Accidents, Wars, Malnutrition, and Lack of Awareness? Please remember: Disability Can Meet Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime! say founders of Trinayani. IT IS NOT SOMETHING WHICH HAPPENS TO “OTHERS”, they add. Tackling disability issues isn’t a finite mission, not the least in India, where there are various levels of misconceptions the general public lives with, they say.