Visually impaired glide through Mumbai roads with Braille directions

As their fingers raced through a piece of paper, effortlessly deciphering the directions, the drivers seated next to them ate a humble pie. The 9th BlindMan Rally (BMR) organised by Round Table India on Sunday saw more than 100 visually challenged people and sighted drivers competing in a car race rally that flagged off from NSCI, Worli. Reading out the directions in Braille from the notes given to them, the blind participants led the drivers across South Bombay.

The race was around 50 kms long and was meant to be completed in 2 and a half hours. There was a penalty for being early, late and not following traffic rules. The participants did not know each other before the event.

The race was a piece of cake for winners Rufina Karmali and Fatema Manthalkar. Bandra resident Karmali,44, is an interior designer and professional rally driver who has won every BMR for the last eight years. For Manthalkar, 47, who works as a telephone operator in the sales tax department, it was the very first win. She lost her eyesight to retina pigmentosa at 35 and took 10 years to master Braille. “I told Rufina that I am a slow reader but I will give correct directions. I have participated in this rally a couple of times before but this one was a little tough as it got cumbersome to read directions over and over again,” said Seawoods resident Manthalkar.

Rohit Batra, who came second, said that if it were upto his navigator Mohammad Raza they would have won. “He read out his instructions clearly and kept asking us about the right speed. It was our very first time but his capability was eye-opening,” said 30-year-old Batra.

With the 94 cars that went out on the expedition, Round Table India managed to gather around Rs 6-7 lakh from the event. The funds will be used to build classrooms and toilets.