The Light Within: Stories of resilience and triumphs

Engineers and mechanics from around the country needing specialised help with repairs turn to Riyazuddin, a visually-impaired motorcycle mechanic in Bhopal who can tell what is wrong with an engine just by listening to its sound.
Sangeeta is sightless but runs a residential school for the visually impaired in Bihar and is also the brain behind an NGO for helping poor children in the neighbouring villages.
Vishal Vidyanath Rao, a congenitally sightless youngster from Mumbai who graduated in political science, can adroitly knit a fisherman's net and play the flute and the violin.
These are among various stories of grit and determination of visually-challenged people that find mention in a book "The Light Within: A Different Vision of Life" by photojournalist Sipra Das.

Published by Niyogi Books, the book presents photo feature stories of individuals who have survived to not only pursue their interest but also excel at it.
"In 'The Light Within', I have sought to narrate tales of struggle and survival, of despair and hope, of resilience and triumphs," the author says.

"What characterises these people is a complete refusal to accept any suggestion that they might be any less than those of us who can see in the conventional way."
She says each story in her book is filled with drama.
"Ten-year-old Bitasta, a deaf-mute and sightless girl, was found abandoned as an infant in a garbage dump in Kolkata but today she teaches children older than her the intricacies of yoga. Visually-impaired septuagenarian Mumbai businessman Surendra Kambli lost his hard-earned millions several times over only to recover them through grit, determination and rare entrepreneurial wiles.

"Motorcycle mechanic Riyazuddin is endowed with mastery that borders on the miraculous. Nitai Khan donated his meagre earnings to the tsunami relief fund."
Like them, there are several others who have shown tremendous perseverance in their lives.