Mysuru: The ‘Karnataka Visually Challenged Students Conscious Forum’ was inaugurated at Vignana Bhavan, Manasagangothri here recently.

“Mysore University is ready to extend all facilities to the visually challenged,” said Prof. R. Rajanna, Registrar, University of Mysore (UoM), who was the chief guest on the occasion. He emphasised the need to create awareness on the challenges faced by the visually impaired and sensitise the society towards their issues.

The ‘Karnataka Visually Challenged Students Conscious Forum,’ founded by a group of visually impaired students from UoM — B. Pradeep, C.N. Satish, M.Bharath, K.B. Darshan and B.R. Diwakar — is a first- of-its-kind initiative by visually challenged students studying in and around Mysuru district. The pupils hope to use this platform to address the issues they face in their academic endeavours and to empower themselves.

Dr. Krishna Hombal, Head, Department of Political Science and a visually challenged professor, presided over the function. Recalling the hurdles he faced as a visually challenged individual, he also spoke about the failures he faced when he tried to start an Association for the Blind as a student.

Lakshmi from Sahana Charitable Trust, Bengaluru, who inaugurated the Forum, recounted the NGO’s journey in providing Braille books to the students.

Dr. Bhargavi Hemmige, Head, Department of Journalism, SBRR Mahajana College, who was a special invitee, informed that Mahajana College was extending 50 percent fee waiver to visually challenged students. She also said that the college authorities were planning to open a Scribe Bank in the college soon.

K.M. Nityanandha, Mitra Jyothi Foundation, Bengaluru, an audio book narrator of more than 20,000 audio books, was honoured.

More than 500 visually challenged students attended the programme. A workshop on how to use technology to help students type in Kannada was organised. Sri Srinivasa Murthy from the Forest Department of Karnataka conducted the training.

The dignitaries offered floral tributes to the pictures of Louis Braille and Hellen Keller on this occasion.