Pune: After 70 years of Independence, the visually impaired citizens of this country will get an opportunity to read the Constitution of India in Braille. For the first time, the Constitution of India has been translated into braille, the copy of which was released on Sunday.
A joint programme undertaken by the Buddhist Association for the Blind, Nashik, along with Babasaheb Ambedkar Research Training Institute (BARTI) and Saavi Foundation, translated the Constitution in Braille. The copy of the first part of five parts was released on Sunday at BJ Medical College.
“Reading the translated copy of Constitution into Braille would give real freedom to the blind,” said Satish Nikam, President, Buddhist Association for the Blind. More than 250 visually impaired persons were present at the programme to mark the event.
State chairman of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Commission, Justice (retd) CL Thool said, “This would add value to the equality and rights of visually impaired persons. Other four of five parts of Constitution will be published every two months at different locations in the State.”
Indian constitution adopted on November 26, 1949 will now be available for visually impaired persons after completion of its 69 years.
Due to the limitation to Braille script, we decided to print 150 pages along with a separate booklet on Constitutional articles and schedules, said Swagat Thorat, editor of ‘Sparsdnyan’. Thorat said that the booklet on the articles would help visually impaired in preparing for the competitive exams.
“BARTI provide the original copy of the Constitution for the translation. In future BARTI will provide necessary help to publish the remaining parts into Braille,” said Aarti Dolas.
Other dignitaries at the event were Subhas Ware, Suresh Weralkar, Abhinandan Thorat, Rashmi Pandhare, Dada Alhat.
