Month: April 2024

Dear friends and colleagues,

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to share an update on an incident that occurred on April 13th, 2024. While returning to Pune from Karjat for some office work, I encountered a troubling situation during my journey on the 11009 Singhdad Express train.

Upon reaching Chinchinward station, I needed to change coaches to reach a gate near Khadki station. As I was navigating through the coaches, the train unexpectedly stopped at Pimpri station. In my rush to catch the appropriate coach, I was mistaken as a blind traveler by some men. Despite my attempts to explain my situation, they forcefully prevented me from boarding the coach, resulting in a physical altercation that left me injured.

It’s important to write on palm’ saying that I am a deafblind person, a condition not easily recognizable by others. Despite my efforts to communicate my needs, the lack of awareness led to a misunderstanding and unnecessary conflict.

I believe there is a need for greater awareness and support for deafblind travelers. One suggestion I have is the introduction of a white-red cane specifically for deafblind individuals, distinct from the white cane commonly associated with visual impairment. This simple yet effective measure could help alleviate confusion and ensure that deafblind individuals receive the assistance and respect they deserve while traveling.

I urge the government of India to consider implementing such measures to protect the rights and dignity of deafblind individuals across the country. By raising awareness and promoting understanding, we can create a more inclusive environment where all individuals, regardless of ability, can travel independently and without fear of discrimination or misunderstanding.

Thank you for your understanding and support in advocating for the rights of deafblind individuals. Together, we can work towards a more inclusive and accessible society for all.

Yours sincerely,

Zamir Dhale
Founder’ Director and Consultant
SEDB India
www.sedbindia.org

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

I wish to report an incident that occurred to me this weekend.

I received a parcel from an online shopping platform within the country, but the customer service informed me that there was a tax payment required. On April 12th, the delivery person from Shiprocket named Bhaskar arrived at my place. When I attempted to communicate my needs as a deafblind individual, he refused to accept my message and pushed away the phone, insisting on immediate payment. I went in to pay and it took a little time. He entered without my knowledge or permission and tried to grab the parcel from me. I was shocked and questioned why he entered my home without my permission and did not show respect for my condition. I attempted to capture the incident with my camera, but he grabbed the parcel back and physically assaulted me repeatedly, hitting, twisting and scratching. After a struggle, I managed to push him out. Despite my attempts to pay the tax using my UPI, the transaction failed three times. Eventually, I successfully completed the payment, he gave me the parcel and left.
The same evening, I lodged a complaint with the police. I was assisted by officers Veermani and Durimurugan, who mentioned the need for CCTV evidence. I promptly provided them with CCTV footage, which supported my account. They requested a witness, and I arranged for someone to accompany me. Additionally, I sought medical attention at the hospital due to injuries sustained during the altercation. The doctor confirmed my injuries to the police.
On April 13th, I attended the SLDAA (St. Louis Deaf Association Alumnae) meeting for the Minutes of the Executive Committee and Board Meeting, which concluded after 3 pm.
At the recommendation of Dr. Namita that evening, I visited the police station. I was accompanied by Dr. Namita, Sudha and three Advocates Ummul, Gopi, and Nifies. We met with Inspector P. Bharathidasan. The police were ready to arrest him, but as he was a first time offender and the father of two young children, the inspector asked us to consider another option.
The police took strict action against the delivery person, who expressed remorse for his actions and agreed never come near my building again and to pay the fine. He also provided a written assurance to respect people with disabilities in the future. We submitted a formal complaint to the police, and the matter was resolved satisfactorily the very next day.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Namita for her support throughout this ordeal.

Best Regards,

Lion Sunil Abbas
Generat Secretary of SEDB India

Achievements of Mr. Zamir Dhale:

1. Advocacy for Computer Accessibility: Successfully advocated for and acquired a computer with a braille keyboard for IT classes in 2000.
2. Vocational Award: Received the Vocational Award in 2006 from the Rotary Club of Bombay Pier for outstanding contributions to the visually challenged community.
3. International Participation: Visited the Helen Keller National Centre in New York, USA, and participated in the American Association of the Deafblind (AADB) conference in San Diego, California in 2002.
4. Contribution to Film: Contributed to the making of the Bollywood movie ‘BLACK’ in 2003, aiding lead actors in understanding characters with deafblindness.
5. Advocacy Officer: Joined Sense International India as an Advocacy Officer in 2006.
6. Board Membership: Became the first Board Member of the National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation & Multiple Disabilities under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India in 2006.
7. Local Committee Membership: Selected as a member of the Local Level Committee in West Delhi for the Legal Guardianship of the National Trust Act in 2007.
8. Accessibility Audit Team: Selected as a member of the team for Accessibility Audit in Delhi supported by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2008.
9. Role Model Recognition: Portrayed as a Role Model in the yearly calendar of National Trust for 2008-09.
10. Financial Independence: Successfully obtained a bank account with full accessibility features in 2009.
11. International Exchange: Visited the National Association of Deafblind in Uganda, East Africa, as Udaan President for knowledge exchange in 2010.
12. Policy Committee Membership: Became a member of a committee formed under the Ministry of Information and Technology to review existing policies in 2010.
13. Ability Mastery Award: Received the Cavin Clavare Ability Mastery Award in 2010.
14. Role Model Award: Honored with the Role Model Award by Retina India in 2011.
15. Helen Keller Award: Received the 2011 Helen Keller Award by Chetana School, Kolhapur in 2011.
16. Rotary Club Honor: Selected as an Honourable Rotarian of Rotary Club, Ahmedabad Sterling in 2012.
17. Advocacy for Technology: Advocated for Refreshable Braille Display Device for ordinary mobile phones for deafblind users in India in 2012.
18. International Speech: Invited to speak at a high level in the Human Rights Council General Assembly- UN in Geneva, Switzerland in 2012.
19. Best Worker Award: Received the Award for the best worker from NASEH, Mumbai in 2013.
20. Vocational Worker Award: Received the best vocational worker Award from Rotary Club of Pune Central in 2014.
21. Organizational Achievement: Established the first organization called Society For the empowerment Of The Deaf-Blind (SEDB) in 2015.
22. Super Achiever Award: Received an award for super achiever from Ummed Foundation, Mumbai in 2017.
23. Felicitation by EPIC: Awarded by EPIC, Pune in 2018.
24. International Representation: Represented SEDB at UN CRPD, Geneva in 2019.
25. Hosting NCDB: SEDB hosted NCDB 2020 Inclusion Through Technology and Advocacy – 2020.
26. International Representation: Elected as Asian Representative of the World Federation of the Deafblind (WFDB) – 2022.
27. Hosting NCDB: SEDB hosted 2nd NCDB conference 2023 in Bangalore supported by enable India and Chetana Trust and funded by Allgeis – 2023.
28. Advocacy for Accessibility: Advocated for and convinced SOL Delhi University to provide accessibility support for deafblind students during exams – 2023.
29. Recognition by India Deaf Expo: Felicitated for outstanding work with the deafblind community in India – 2023.
30. Assistance with Biodata/Resume Editing: Provided support in editing biodata/resumes for deaf individuals to enhance their employability – 2024.
31. Support against Domestic Violence: Provided assistance to deaf and deafblind women in filing complaint cases against domestic violence – 2024.