an online magazine from eyeway.org

issue 5 july-august 2005
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Voices of People: Business

Eyeway asked some people what being a blind citizen of India means to them, with a focus on one specific aspect of life.

Shivaji Laxman Chavhan
Owner of Smit India Travel, Mumbai

Blind citizens can do very well in business if we get equal opportunities. But because we are visually impaired, the public and private sectors discriminate against us.

For example, when I approach banks - public or private - they are often unwilling to trust me because of my visual impairment. They are not sure I can make the business work. The Indian government has disabled-friendly policies only on paper and nothing in practice. In the private sector, now that I have established myself, people accept me.

I set up this business in 1987 and have been running it successfully since then. In the initial four or five years, I had some negative reactions from clients who did not feel they could trust me. Now I don't have that problem. The real hurdle I faced, though, was from other travel agents. It is the nature of this business that you need the cooperation of fellow travel agents. I did not get this support at all until B.T. Khurana, the owner of Khurana Travels - and a godfather to me - helped me.

He believed in me and my capabilities and provided me with a support structure. This confidence helped me reach where I have today. Today, I am well-settled with a very successful business. I am married and have grown-up children, who are all well-settled. I lead a very happy life with my wife, who works with visually impaired persons and is a blind citizen herself. She is also a well-known writer. If more people get support, like I did, I have no doubt that more visually impaired people could be happy like me.

Related stories:
Voices of People: Education
Voices of People: Leisure and Entertainment
Voices of People: Society
Voices of People: Culture
Voices of People: Media and Communications
Voices of People: Employment
Voices of People: Sports
Voices of People: Transport
Voices of People: Being a woman
Voices of People: Relationships
Voices of People: Public Services
How has the government fared?
It's India, but is it home?