by Iqra Akhoon
SRINAGAR: Zainab Bilal and Abrar Ahmed Bhat, two visually impaired persons fighting the odds of life excel in their lives. On International Braille Day, they share their journey, their life challenges and the struggle to put in.
Abrar Ahmed Bhat is a bank employee and volunteer at Jammu and Kashmir Handicapped Association. He is a resident of Solina, Rambagh. He is not blind by birth. In 2008, he lost his eyesight due to Retinal Pigmentosa. He pursued his higher education up to twelfth class in Srinagar and later moved to National Institute for Handicapped Dehradun and pursued Front Office Adjustment, Japanese Medical Manual Therapy and Teacher Training Programme from Enable India along with Graduation. He joined Punjab National Bank in 2016 as an employee.
Zainab Bilal is a seventh-class student at Delhi Public School, Srinagar. She is an aspiring Radio Jockey and also works as one in her school’s radio station. After being born underweight, she underwent treatment. As she claims medical negligence in the hospital, her parents shifted her to AIIMS, Delhi where the doctors declared that she is suffering from Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). It could have been cured if she received the required treatment in the first month of her birth. Despite a couple of surgeries, she could not gain her eyesight. Battling to get admission to a normal school to interview Amir Khan, she made her way to a normal life.
