BENGALURU : When Pallavi Acharya moved to Bengaluru from Kalaburgi looking for a job in 2007, she met a visually-impaired woman in her paying guest facility. Pallavi recalls how her visually-impaired friend managed to do everything on her own. Pallavi says, "I wrote an examination for her. I scribed for the first time. She kept suggesting her friends to me to scribe for, and then I realised that I needed more volunteers to help, as my phone was ringing off the hook. Later, I arranged a scribe and the network gradually developed over a time."
Pallavi helps find scribes for visually-impaired students across Karnataka, such as Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya, Hubli, Dharward, Koppal, and Kalburgi. She even provides travel expenses and accommodation to the scribes if they need help. Every year, on an average, she arranges for over 2,000 scribes for blind students for various examinations conducted all over Karnataka, such as degree exams, banking exams, KPSC exams and insurance exams. She arranged for over 350 scribes for the recent KPSC exams.
Pallavi says, "I am extremely indebted to all volunteers, without whom none of this would be possible. Volunteers not only write exams, but also refer other people for volunteering." Her family is a great support system, she says. "During semester exams, when I receive over 500 scribe requests, I don't get time to even eat or drink. I lock myself in a room and search for volunteers. My in-laws take care of the house and my two-year-old child. My husband also supports me in my work."If you are looking for a scribe, you can contact Pallavi on 96119 11335.