Tamil fortnightly in Braille soon

The state unit of National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is planning to bring out a fortnightly in Tamil using Braille script in the first half of June this year.

Talking to Business Standard, M Sahadevan, general secretary of NFB, Tamil Nadu, said the main objective of the magazine was to identify and promote the creative talents of the visually-challenged.

The fortnightly will be the first-of-its-kind in the state, and in any Indian languages. NFB already publishes a Braille magazine in English named 'Touch'.

The new publication, christened Parvaiyattror Kural, (voice of the visually challenged), will have articles, poems, short stories, and fiction contributed by such writers. "Already, there are renowned writers and poets among the visually challenged people in the state, many of whom bring out their own publications," he added.

The publication will also focus on the grievances, problems and issues faced by the visually-challenged and seek solutions for them. The federation also plans to publish ink-printed versions simultaneously so that the journal could reach the hands of the authorities and policy-makers and draw their attention to the problems which are discussed.

Sahadevan said that there were at least six lakh visually impaired in the state and around 90 lakh across the country. The NFB in Tamil Nadu has enlisted about 5,000 members.

He pointed out that the visually-challenged people were facing a number of challenges. "Though an Act seeking 1 per cent reservation for the blind was considered by the state Assembly in 1981, it is yet to be implemented," he added.

NFB would install a production centre at Chennai to manufacture clip files and another office stationary involving the acumen developed by some of the visually challenged groups in the city, he added.