TISS: Students get a feel of difficulties physically challenged face every day

After trying the walker, Nido sat on a wheelchair and tried to move across an empty stretch, taking the help of a volunteer. She got up and said, “This is so scary, I had no alignment or sense or direction. Imagine if there were cars or people around me.”

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Professor Deviprasad B from TISS’s Centre for Equity and Justice for Children and Families, said, “The general perception about the disabled is that they are not able to negotiate with the environment. A lot of studies reflect that our surroundings are being designed in such a way that they are not disabled-friendly. There is a need to sensitise people about creation of such friendly designs. That is the motive of this workshop.”

Participants were blindfolded and taught to say their name in sign language and use a wheel-chair and a walker. Agnes Toppo, a second year student of social work, said, “As students of social work, we are expected to work with families and individuals who face disability. This workshop helps us sensitise ourselves about difficulties a disabled-person faces.”

Avinash Singh, a second year student from TISS’s Centre for Disability Studies and Action, said, “It is a student-oriented event. We are aiming to take it to the national level, but we lack funds. We are trying to move the event outside campus.”

tanushree.venkatraman@expressindia.com