State of Visually Impaired in 75 Years of Independent India: Issues and Challenges

At the outset, I wish to place on record my sincere appreciation to Karna Vidya Foundation for having compiled such a rich collection of articles pertaining to visual impairment and visually impaired people in the Indian context. This book is a welcome addition to the existing literature on disability, primarily for documenting the lived experience of visually challenged individuals in different dimensions and with an immense range of sociocultural perspectives.The social model of disability posits that disability is not merely an individuals inherent condition, but rather a consequence of the social and environmental constraints that hinder their full participation in society. These disabling barriers can manifest in various forms, such as inaccessible infrastructure, discriminatory attitudes, and exclusionary practices. By recognizing the role of social factors in creating disability, the social model advocates for the removal of these barriers to enable individuals with impairments to exercise their rights and participate fully in society. This collection contributes to this mission of advocacy by disabled individuals and disabled persons organizations (DPOs). Articles pertaining to the progress of vision impaired people in postcolonial India, as well as challenges and opportunities in law, mathematics, artificial intelligence, banking and finance sectors provide valuable inputs for furthering the cause of disability advocacy, enhancing accessibility and creating a more inclusive society.Dr. K. Muruganandan,Assistant Professor and Head, Department of English, Government Arts and Science College, Kallakurichi, Tamil Nadu, India.