ANNUAL REPORT

This report contains in a nutshell the year-long activities conducted by our Association.

Education

With a view to revolutionise the education of the blind a colossal braille press and library project was set up at Malancha-Mahimnagar, Kol: 700145 on January 4, 2003.This year the braille press unit has been remarkably expanded with the inclusion of three sets of braille embossers donated by the Rotary Club of Calcutta South East- India, Dist.3290,Rotary Dist-1210 UK and Rotary Club of Wolverhampton, Dist-1210, UK. On January 8, 2006 it was formally inaugurated by the renowned economist, Dr. Amio Bagchi. Among the other important personalities Dr. sujay Basu, Dr. Bratish Sengupta, Mr. Amal De, Mr. Trilochan Singh Sangha, Mr. Jayanta Saha, Mr. S. K. Basak and Mr. Shibabrata Sengupta, one of our advisers, were present on the stage. Dr. Shukla Hajra, Principal of East Calcutta Girls' College, presided over the meeting. A colourful souvenir was also published in this occasion. We have also made good progress in respect of building construction of the project. Like previous years this year too a number of institutions readily took part in a fund raising programme for the development of the Project involving their students and staffs. Prof. Kabita Pradhan of South Calcutta Girls' College, and the students of Education department, University of Calcutta, made some cassettes and CD reading from some important books for our library at Lal Bihari Shah Braille Academia.

This year, Kamalendu Bhattacharia Memorial Scholarship has been given to five students studying in class XI and XII.

Tarun Memorial School for the Sightless at Shyamnagar, 24 Paraganas (North), inaugurated in the World Disabled Year (1981), completed its Silver Jubilee celebration this year. The occasion was observed in a befitting manner by the school. A meeting for the reunion of all the ex-students, teachers who played important roles for the development of the school and wellwishers who wholeheartedly helped the school in various ways, was held at Bharatchandra Granthagar Hall on 12th February, 2006 in a homely atmosphere.

Another institution of our Association, Helen Keller Smriti Vidyamandir at Krishnanagar Nadia, also stepped in its Silver Jubilee Year from March 21, 2006. The institution resolved to observe the occasion throughout the year.

Nazrul Smriti Drishtihin Vidyalay at Gangpur, Burdwan, another institution of our Association also observed its 18th anniversary on 10th April 2005 in a befitting manner.

Like previous years an educational tour at Plasi has been organized by the Association on February 9, 2006 for the students studying in three schools conducted by us.

As a part of our endeavour to spread education among the visually handicapped, we have been able to inaugurate a braille, cassette and cd library on 18th March 2006 at Baidyanath Mukherjee Memorial Bhaban, Metropolitan Housing Society, p-85, sector (A) 3rd lane, Kol: 700105. Mr. Pradip Ghosh, a famous reciter, inaugurated the library. The meeting was presided over by Mrs. Purnima Sing, Secretary, Coal India Officers' Wives' Association. Mrs. Sharmishtha Bhattacherya, Headmistress, Ananda Ashram Balika Vidyapith also graced the occasion as the special guest. Mr. Shibabrata Sengupta was also present there. Gratitude must be extended to Mrs. Jharna Mukherjee, widow of late Baidyanath Mukherjee, and her son Mr. Somnath Rana Mukherjee as they have kindly allowed us to house the said library at their residence.

Cultural Activities

To complete the 125th birth anniversary celebration of Helen Keller we held a seminar on her life-long struggle for the emancipation of the handicapped and the weaker section of society on June 24, 2005 at H L Roy Memorial Hall, Jadavpur University.Dr. Rakhohari Chatterjee, Ex-Dean of Political Science , Calcutta University and Dr. Madhushree Banerjee, Principal ,Surendranath Morning women's college presided over the first and second session of the seminer respectively. The speakers were Dr. Gargi Nath , Principal , Yogamaya Devi College, Mr. Swapan Mukherjee , Helen Kellers biographer and Mr. Dipankar Roy , Advisor , Blind Persons' Association. Dr. Amio Bagchi published the braille version of Helen Keller's "The Story of my life" in Bengali translation by Srimati Maya Vaya on this occasion.

This apart, we played homage to M.Louis Braille , Rev. Lal Bihari Shah,Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam,immortal Freedom Fighters, and martyrs like Charu Basu, Bhagat Sing, Khudiram , Netaji Subhas Basu, Pritilata Waddedar and so on.

We also solemnly observed the 26th death anniversary of Tarun Sengupta, Ex-secretary and the 7th death anniversary of Kamalendu Bhattacherya, Ex-President of our Association .

The celebration of the silver jubilee of Helen Keller Smriti Vidyamandir has been commenced splendidly by the students, teachers, workers and welwishers of the institution. To mark the occasion with grace they arranged probhat feri, exhibition on Braille system, several discussions and cultural programmes on 21st and 22nd of March, 2006.

In order to instil the sporting spirit into the minds of the students studying in our institutions and for their physical health several sporting events were conducted throughout the year. A friendly cricket match was organised by Tarun Memorial school for the sightless on January 21, 2006 at Subuj Sangha play ground. A sports meet of the handicapped students was organised by the Helen Keller Smriti Bidyamandir, Nadia on January 28, 2006 at the playground of Shaktinagar High School.

Awareness Campaign

An exhibition of braille system was held at Ushagram Girls' High school, Asansol, Burdwan. Students of Calcutta Girls' B.ED. College and Murali Dhar Girls' College visited Lal Bihari Shah Braille Academia to witness exhibitions on education system of the blind. Our adviser, Mr. Shibabrata Sengupta delivered lectures on blind children psychology before them. A seminar on education of the blind organised by our Association was held at Shibanath Shastri College on 12th December, 2005. Another seminar on Helen Keller was held at South Calcutta Girls' College. One of our secretaries delivered speeches on aims and activities of our Association in to different occasions organized by the N.S.S. students of Lady Shriram College and Bharati Mahila college in New Delhi.

This apart we arranged two exhibitions at the time of Durga Puja at Deshaprio Park and palli Mangal Samiti and another at Shantiniketan Paush Mela.

Movement

Our Organisation was trying for years to persuade the state government to reserve 1% jobs for visually handicapped candidates as per provisions of the P. W. D. Act of 1995. Ultimately we had to move the honourable Kolkata High Court for justice. A division bench of Alok Chakroborty and Sailendra Prasad Talukdar, the honourable judges of the same passed a verdict in our favour asking the state government to reserve 1% posts in government offices and allow scribe to the visually handicapped candidates in all PSC examinations. The PSC has also accepted our request for concession in fees and extra time during examination for visually handicapped examinees.

Saikat Kar
General Secretary