For P Kumaravel, a resident of Arcot Road, Vadapalani, blindness has never been a concern, for he has been roped in as technology trainer at the Indian Association for the Blind (IAB).
In a chat with News Today, he says, “I completed schooling at Pudukottai Government School for the Blind. I wanted to take up journalism but could not get admission. Hence, I joined a training centre run by the Indian Association for the Blind at Madurai.”
Later, he got selected by IAB as their technical trainer and took up the post in Chennai.
While working at a call centre run by IAB, he learned that computers had user-friendly software for the visually-challenged through which they can use websites and apps.
Kumaravel says, “Text-to-speech technology, software and apps have made smart phones and computers accessible to the visually-impaired.”
He says that the idea is very simple, adding, “What people see, we hear.”
Apart from this, Kumaravel adds that there are several open source apps and software that help blind people read with audio output.
He further states, “It took me time to master it but once done, I became confident and started using it independently.”
Kumaravel also runs an e-journal – Viram Mozhiyor – to satisfy his yearning to do journalism. He is also a part of IAB’s catering venture called ‘IAB Thank You’ through which the visually-challenged sell cakes, cookies and snacks to IT and private firms.
Kumaravel says, “The snacks are prepared by other disabled people while the marketing is done by the visually-challenged. The revenue earned through this goes towards the welfare of the disabled.”
He dedicates all his success to the late founder of IAB, Jinnah.
Convey your good wishes to Kumaravel on 97893 27167.