With adequate attention and facilities, people with disabilities can become capable contributors to society. Disability is a possibility, it is a diversity. People with special needs need no sympathy, but an opportunity to become active taxpayers rather than docile recipients, said Mahantesh GK, founder, Samarthanam International, in conversation with The New Sunday Express. He said the government should not just help in education and employment, but open up more opportunities in sports. Excerpts from the interview:
What motivated you to start Samarthanam Trust? How has the journey been?
My friend Nagesh and I, both being visually challenged, studied in the same school and faced challenges. Nagesh was working with a bank and I was teaching English at University Law College. Having suffered ourselves, we wanted to provide solutions and better facilities for people like us. India being a cricket-crazy nation, we wanted to promote and support cricket for the blind. We also wanted to support higher education. There were schools looking after the needs of blind children till Grade 10, but after that, many were forced to return to their villages. I felt it is our responsibility to give back more than what we got. After visiting other countries and learning of opportunities for the disabled, we decided to start an organisation which addresses their needs using modern technology.
What is its aim?
Unless we make people with disabilities economically empowered, all welfare programmes are a waste. This was one broad reason which prompted my friends and me to start Samarthanam.
What about your personal journey? How did you lose your eyesight?
I come from a joint and progressive family from a village in Belagavi. I was the first child of the generation. When I was six months old, I had typhoid which affected my optic nerves. My family accepted it. They looked after me like any other child -- neither overprotective, nor discriminating. The real problem started when I had to go to school. I was refused admission due to my disability. My family was disturbed and worried. Using influence, I was admitted to school and used to go with my neighbour. One day an education inspector, during inspection, asked the class a question and I was the only one who answered it. I was asked to write on the board, which was the turning point. The inspector was a very progressive man. He came home and told my parents to admit me to a school for the blind. After rigorous research, my parents found one in Bengaluru. On January 2, 1981, we came to Bengaluru. I never felt blindness was a problem, I took it as a challenge.
What about higher education?
Up to Grade 10, I studied at the school for the blind. But regular college was very difficult for the first six months. I felt like a fish out of water. Making notes on Braille would make a noise and I didn’t want to disturb others. Gradually, I started talking to lecturers and friends, and they understood my issues. Back then, awareness was limited. I had to get my books read. My school extended help as I stayed there. They connected me to readers and provided a support system. I used to do combine studies with my friends who would read books for me.
Do you think technology is helping the visually challenged?
Absolutely. Technology makes things easy. I used to study with the help of audio cassettes. Now there is screen reading software for the visually impaired, besides talking mobile phones and computers. At Samarthanam, we ensure technology is always at the top of our interventions, whether it is education, training, getting jobs or cricket Technology is the biggest enabler for persons with disabilities. It reduces dependency.
Are there adequate audio books?
Audio books are in plenty, courtesy multiple platforms. We also upload all books that are converted into voice or digital format. Any visually impaired person can log in and download them. However, there’s a long way to go for vernacular books. Braille is difficult, only four per cent of the world’s literature is available in Braille.
Despite technological intervention, why are many not coming forward?
Awareness is most important. Many still live in rural areas. They don’t get to know about opportunities and technological devices. Very few can access them as they are very expensive. Samarthanam is trying to go to rural areas and identify such people.
Why is it expensive?
Most of the equipment is not manufactured in India, hence the high cost. With the help of a few organisations, we are trying to encourage production of equipment at a low cost.
Why hasn’t it happened yet?
People are complacent. To give my own example, I was very comfortable with a feature phone. It was tough to accept a smartphone, but it was inevitable as button phone production stopped. There are many government schemes which are not easy to access.
Are employment opportunities organized by the Trust?
Being unemployed is challenging for those with disabilities. Following the pandemic, many people with disabilities, particularly visually impaired women, lost their jobs. During a meeting, it was suggested that we organize job fairs. Leveraging our networks, we have successfully coordinated over 130 job fairs in the past 25 months. These fairs attracted around 40,000 aspirants, and helped over 12,000 individuals secure employment.
What are your expectations from the government?
The government must ensure that all slots reserved for people with disabilities are filled, to facilitate their integration into the economic mainstream. It must support academic pursuits by providing assistive devices that aid education. There is also a need to encourage and motivate teachers in government schools to accommodate students with disabilities, not as an obligation but to provide them with necessary facilities and foster awareness among other students. It is essential that special children feel included and valued in the educational environment, as a strong foundation is paramount. Government should integrate health and Anganwadi workers into disability awareness training programmes to sensitize them to the needs of disabled individuals. These training initiatives should be incorporated into the curriculum.
What is job reservation for the specially abled?
Around 5% of jobs are reserved for people with disabilities, providing numerous opportunities for individuals throughout Karnataka and India.
How did you discover your passion for cricket?
Despite having completed my Masters in English, 99% of my proficiency in spoken English stems from cricket commentary. The excitement generated by the way commentators modulate their voices influenced me. My neighbour, an engineer and cricket enthusiast, would request me to update him with the score over phone. His personal interest became mine too. Cricket is a sequential game and I had a strong interest in math, it only deepened my passion for the sport.
Did you play cricket?
In 1990, I captained my team in the first national cricket tournament for the blind. After playing the first four matches, my father advised me to prioritize my studies, leading me to transition to an administrative role in organizing cricket events.
Could you explain about the administrative role?
In 2010, we decided to establish the Cricket Association for the Blind, India (CABI), with the goal to develop a world-class cricket team. Despite all efforts, no company wanted to support us with sponsorship. Today, as a lifetime chairman of CABI, I serve as a mentor to the team, overseeing progress.
What about promoting other sports?
We have initiated wall-climbing training programmes, are promoting marathons, and encouraging visually impaired individuals to participate in unique sports. I urge the government to extend support to sports initiatives, and have appealed to Khelo India to include cricket.
What has been the Indian government’s response to needs of people with disabilities?
The Central government has consistently shown a proactive approach. Alimco, a government-subsidized company, manufactures equipment for people with disabilities. A lot more progress needs to be made for obtaining approval for subsidies. The government should streamline this process, and each state government should promote manufacture of devices and equipment for people with physical challenges. Available products such as talking thermometers or BP machines cost three times more than normal ones. By subsidizing such equipment, the government can improve the quality of life for people with disabilities.
What specific resources, services, or initiatives from other countries would you like to see implemented in India?
Countries in the West boast of robust support systems where all needs of the specially abled are covered by the government, including providing physical readers, laptops and Braille typewriters. In India too, the government should provide comprehensive support and make necessary facilities available, along with financial assistance, as many disabled individuals come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. It is my hope that each disabled person becomes a taxpayer, which ensures they are regarded with respect and dignity.
How is blind cricket different from regular cricket?
It is slightly modified. Bowling is underarm and the ball is different. It is made of fibre-moulded plastic which is thick, with tube bearings inside, and rattles when thrown. It is playing with the ears. There is a mark in the centre of the pitch. If the ball bounces before the mark, it is called a ‘no ball’. The wickets are made of metal, so there is a different sound when the ball hits a wooden bat or the stumps. There are also three categories of players: Under Type-1 are four players with complete blindness, under Type-2 are three with partial blindness who can see up to 2 metres, and under Type-3 are four players with partial sight. The bowler has to ask the batsman if he is ready before the delivery, and if he assents, the ball is thrown at him.
Is Bengaluru disabled-friendly? Do bad footpaths and roads pose a risk for people with disability?
I agree there are bad pavements and roads. I wonder how people move around. When I used to travel independently 25 years ago, Bengaluru was beautiful. People could move around comfortably, there was less traffic and people were very helpful. They still are, but civic amenities need to improve. Many get hurt, fall into pits and drains, or bang into pillars. Many walk into trucks parked by roadsides -- this is because the walking cane goes easily under trucks due to ground clearance, and due to their height, walkers bang their heads.
What appeal do you want to make to the government?
I would like to appeal to Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar to make Bengaluru a model city, as people with special abilities come to the city for better opportunities. I appeal to him to replicate the Colombo model or that of any other city in Europe and Japan. There are building code guidelines, but they are not followed. We can also share our experiences to make the city better for people with disabilities to move around without obstacles.
What do you have to say about the ill-treatment of people with disabilities?
I get a lot of reports of ill-treatment that people with disabilities face. They face harassment from their own families, in colleges and companies. I always tell them to stay strong and not to give up. We also have ourselves to blame as sometimes we don’t raise our voice. Many think that people with disabilities cannot get married or carry out tasks, and don’t treat them equally. I appeal to those who are physically, mentally and economically capable of sharing with others and helping them to progress.
How challenging is it for women with disabilities in society?
It is a very big challenge. Sometimes they are looked down on, and treated worse than animals. Their condition is deplorable. At Samarthanam, we have programmes for women with disabilities. We provide hostel facility for working women with disabilities. Our team focuses on their security and safety.
What do you have to say about non-visible disabilities?
There are many other forms of disabilities that are non-physical, which the government should address. Issues of slow learners, ADHD, dyslexia and intellectually challenged people should be looked into. There should also be counselling and a good support system.