Prathamesh, a dynamic young man, held a captivating session on Personality Development for our 7th and 8th graders on January 2, 2018 in the school auditorium. A life changing event at the tender age of 15 when he lost his vision left him severely depressed. His parents who are also blind were able to fully understand the precarious situation due to their own personal life experiences, and helped him to overcome depression. While they encouraged him to pursue his academic dream which was a degree in Law, his sister helped him to overcome self-doubt when faced with ridicule from friends and strangers.
Prathamesh shared his challenging experiences with our students which gave them an insight on the difficulties faced by people who are visually challenged. Tasks that are taken for granted by people who have vision such as getting dressed, stepping out of the house, boarding a train, etc. were seen as daunting experiences when Prathamesh explained his daily life.
The ability to smile in the face of adversity was demonstrated in a profound manner when Prathamesh mentioned in a humorous way that while he was often credited with having sixth sense, the truth is that the lack of the fifth sense (eyesight) actually strengthened the need to depend more on the other four senses. He said that he makes full use of his strengths rather than lamenting his weakness. This statement made a deep impact on the audience.
Students were curious to know about the challenges he faced while studying. He mentioned the contribution of latest technology that has enabled software that help the blind to access computers with the help of a screen reader and speech synthesizer. Mobile phones too have an app called Jaws Apps which helps in making communication easier.
The management makes every effort necessary to nurture the minds of the young students at Amrita Vidyalayam. Conducting such workshops helps them realize the mistakes that lie within each one, and also motivates them to put their 100% into all endeavours. The workshop also helped them to realize what they were lacking while living life to its fullest in comparison to less privileged people.
