Kolkata observes 206th birth anniversary of Louis Braille

Bibhash Chakraborty, noted theatre personality and sangeet natak academy recipient graced the occasion as the chief guest.

Partha Acharya, Sub Divisional Officer, Baruipur attended the event as Guest of Honour.

Swami Sarvagananda, Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Narendrapur was also present at the event.

The highlight of the event was a play enacted by the visually challenged children of the Academy on the life and work of Louis Braille. Conceptualized by the joint effort of officials from the Amway Opportunity Foundation and Ramakrishna Mission Blind, a few months ago, the play was brought to life by the script written by Biswajit Ghosh, Principal of the Academy, and a former student of the school.

School teacher Anindya Banerjee directed the play.

A Braille Reading –typing competition   was organized at the AOF- NRKMBBA Centre of Excellence in Information Technology for the junior as well as senior categories of the visually-challenged students – marking the significance of invention of Braille system which enables the visually-challenged to read as well as write. Students of Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys’ Academy, Narendrapur and National Association for the Blind participated in the competition. 

An elocution competition on the life and work of Louis Braille was also organized to celebrate 206th birth anniversary of Louis Braille. The event also witnessed a motivating speech by Anjan Maiti from NAB who overcame his visual disability and successfully passed out from AOF- NAB Centre of Excellence in Information Technology.

Chandra Chakraborty, Area Manager, West Bengal, Sikkim, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Amway India, said, “We have been working for the cause of the visually challenged ever since 1999 when we launched Nat onal Project for the visually challenged. Over the years, Amway
Opportunity Foundation has benefitted more than 100,000 visually challenged individuals especially children. I am impressed by the mesmerizing performance of the students of Ramakrishna Mission and NAB today.  I am sure the children of are inspired by the stories of the girls who passed out from the computer centre set up by AOF. I am delighted to be in the august company of such talented individuals.”

“Louis Braille is a truly inspiring example for all those who refuse to succumb to their limitations and are determined to achieve their goals. His invention – the Braille system – is an incomparable gift to the visually-challenged individuals. The six-dots of Louis Braille are the precious seeds from which intellectual harvest grows. We are indebted to Louis Braille as he led the visually-challenged to the light of knowledge and education,” said Biswajit Ghosh, Principal, Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys’ Academy, Narendrapur.