“I was disoriented and scared the first five minutes. It was challenging even after I got adjusted to the darkness. I now see the visually challenged in a new light,” said Sairam, a private firm employee, who walked blindfolded on M.G. Road on Sunday evening as part of the first Blind Walk.
More than 600 volunteers, including Mr. Sairam, walked blindfolded, led by visually challenged persons, for a kilometre, from Namma Metro station on M.G. Road to the Bal Bhavan in Cubbon Park.
The Blind Walk, organised by The Project Vision, a non-governmental organisation, was flagged off by Prasanna Kumar Pincha, Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, who is visually challenged.
The concept was a great way to create awareness on eye donation, he said.
The walk also mocked the arrogance of those with vision, who were blindfolded and needed the help of the visually challenged.
Anand H. Doddanna, whose young son suffers from a rare genetic disorder leading to loss of vision, ideated the Blind Walk.
“What we are trying to do is to create empathy, as the visually challenged do not need sympathy,” he said.
Fr. George Kannanthanam, director of Project Vision, said that though 2.5 million people in India suffered from corneal blindness that could be cured by eye donation, not many were coming forward. He said 35,000 corneas were being collected every year against the demand of 1.5 lakh. He hoped the event would help bridge the gap between demand and supply.
Similar walks will be held in Jayanagar IV Block on August 31 and in Yeshwantpur on September 7.
