Subhendu Ray
In a world where physical ability is often equated with
success, the stories of Kanchan Gaba and Asif Iqbal are truly inspiring. These
two visually challenged youths of Kolkata have defied all odds to pursue their
dreams and achieve success.
Kanchan Gaba, a student of law, has never let her visual
impairment come in the way of her academic achievements. She earned first
class in LLB and LLM and has even received the Queen's certificate in the UK.
She is currently pursuing her research on World Trade Organisation-Legal
Implication in Indian Perspective, which is funded by Hindustan Lever. She is
also an avid mountaineer and trekker and has been on expeditions to Tiger
Hill, Sandakhphu, different hills in Uttaranchal, and Herison Rock area in
London.
Asif Iqbal, on the other hand, is a process improvement
consultant with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, specialising in business process
restructuring and business development. He was the first visually-challenged
commerce graduate from Kolkata and also holds an MBA degree with specialisation
in HR from the Symbiosis Center for Management and HRD. He uses technology to
overcome his visual impairment and is even working towards creating affordable
software for others like him.
What is truly remarkable about these individuals is their
positive attitude toward life. They firmly believe that blindness can never be
a barrier to achieving success if one has the motivation. They are living
proof that physical limitations are not insurmountable obstacles to achieving
one's dreams.
Gaba has even dedicated her life to uplifting the lifestyle of
visually challenged youths in the city. She is the secretary of the West Bengal
chapter of the National Association for the Blind and plans to open up a
computer training center in Eastern India to enable visually challenged
students to learn computers. She has also researched the plight of women in
Bengal prisons and plans to write a book on the subject under the aegis of the international NGO UISCOMP, which is headed by the Dalai Lama.
Iqbal, too, is a firm believer in giving back to society. He
is involved in drawing a roadmap for the progress of e-governance in the state
and is passionate about creating affordable software for the visually
challenged.
The stories of Kanchan Gaba and Asif Iqbal are a reminder
that success is not limited to the physically able. With determination, hard
work, and a positive attitude, anyone can achieve their dreams, no matter what
their physical limitations may be. These two individuals are an inspiration to
us all and a testament to the fact that they never told all dreamers could open
their eyes and catch the rainbow after the rains had left the city all muddy
and mucky.
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