Visually impaired family charts its own path to Independence

Jignesh R Patel, www.newkerala.com; Madhya Pradesh; August 16, 2005

A visually impaired family in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, has proved that blindness is no hindrance to success. Two blind brothers manage their grocery shops successfully while their blind sister is a teacher in a government school.

Where many blind people have shrugged off their life in the dark, Dharam Chand runs his own grocery shop. "I do not face any major problem. I have been doing this for the past 40 years. Earlier, I owned a granary shop but then switched over to a grocery shop. Now, I have also added a small counter of auto parts. Till date, I haven't received any help from the government," said Dharam Chand Jain.

He added, "I make out the difference between Indian currency notes by their sizes."

At a short distance from Dharam Chand's shop is that of his brother, Rajendra Jain. "I am blind since childhood, but I run a grocery shop and feed my family. I do all the purchasing myself, sell the products and run my shop smoothly. Till date I haven't received any help from the government," he says.

While describing the shop, customers said they have never been supplied with wrong orders. "For the past 10-15 years, I had been purchasing things from his shop. I haven't faced any problem so far," said a customer.

Nirmala, Dharam Chand and Rajendra's sister, who is also visually challenged, completed her graduation and B.Ed. She then found employment as a teacher in a government school.

"I became blind when I was 14 or 15 years old but I have never been a burden on my parents. I have been working as a teacher in this school for the past five years. I do not even face any problems in carrying out my household work too. I feel that if I can execute all my responsibilities, other blind people can also do the same," said Nirmala Jain.