GUJARAT: Despite being completely deprived of sight, Ashwin Thakkar, a 40-year-old man from Gujarat’s Banaskantha district never relinquished hope. Forsaken by his parents after birth for his blindness, he was raised by an uncle, who was also blind.
Struggling to complete his education, he steadfastly clung to hope, and in 2006, established an orchestra exclusively for the visually impaired, aiming to spare others from the arduous experiences he endured. In an endeavour to support other blind people, the musicians in this remarkable ensemble are all visually impaired.
Besides, Ashwin and his companion Baldev, also blind, established the ‘Friends of Blind’, a non-governmental organization (NGO), dedicated to helping countless others without sight. Looking ahead, he aspires to build a retirement home, specifically catering to the needs of the elderly blind, ensuring that they navigate the final stage of life without the challenges of their condition.
Ashwin recounts his arduous journey that began from birth. “Born in the Banaskantha district of North Gujarat, I entered this world without the gift of sight. As the eldest among six siblings, my parents were unable to provide for a blind child. Consequently, they made the difficult decision to send me to live with my maternal uncle. Sharing the same darkness, my uncle could empathize with my struggles.
Understanding the challenges faced by the visually impaired, he enrolled me in the Ahmedabad Blind People’s Association. With the support of friends and community leaders, I persevered and completed my education in the Blind People’s Association, attaining a graduation degree,” he says.
“My journey was far from easy. I encountered numerous difficulties, being a subject of ridicule for some and pity for others. However, I resolved that I would stand tall on my own, to contribute to society and ensure that no other blind person would face the same hardships that I did,” he said. Despite numerous challenges, Ashwin maintained an unwavering desire to assist other blind people in overcoming the difficulties he had endured, but he didn’t know what to do.
“After graduation, I took telecom operator training to earn a livelihood. Rustam Kamaji of the Parsi community was the president of the Blind People’s Association at the time. He saw my abilities and hired me as a telecom operator in his hotel. But there was a desire in me to do something for blind people. After much contemplation, my passion for music moved me to start an orchestra. However, the performers on each instrument are blind. We founded the ‘Ehsas Group’, an orchestra, only for the blind,” Ashwin said.
“I have a deep passion for music, even though I can hardly sing or play an instrument. To overcome this difficulty, I took the initiative to form a group of talented blind individuals who possess remarkable musical abilities and singing voices. In 2006, I established an orchestra to support the blind and I have been dedicated to assisting them ever since. This remarkable journey continues to this day with our orchestra making a positive impact on the lives of blind people. Our mission of empowerment and inclusivity through music is thriving even in 2023,” said Ashwin.
Assisting the blind, Ashwin was delighted with his endenour. But a greater challenge awaited him when, in 2020, during the Covid crisis, Ashwin lost his employment.
Ashwin was married to a blind woman and was responsible for the daily bread of the family. As the orchestra did not provide a regular income, Ashwin was stretched to support himself.
With family commitments and the Covid lockdown, Ashwin decided that he no longer wanted to seek employment. He approached his friend Baldev and together began selling boxes of mangoes. Ashwin succeeded, in establishing a seasonal business. Gradually, the business took off, and today Ashwin has his own modest kiosk near the passport office in Ahmedabad and supports his own family.
As his business grew, Ashwin had a tremendous urge to return to working with the blind. Ashwin realized that, just like he had faced difficulties during the COVID period, others sharing his condition must have suffered too. With this in mind, Ashwin and his friend Baldev established the ‘Blind Friends Society’ on August 15, 2021, with the goal of bringing blind families closer.
During the Covid crisis, the NGO supplied ‘meal packages’ to the blind. The NGO assisted and continues to assist those seeking to establish a business by locating funding for them. Furthermore, Ashwin’s NGO arranges everything, from fees to books, for the visually impaired pursuing education.