Delhi:The Department of Teacher Training and Non-formal Education, Faculty of Education, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) celebrated the World Sight Day and International White Cane Day which are observed globally on 13th October and 15th October respectively. Due to holiday and other reasons the department celebrated both days on 14th October, 2022 with a purpose to spread awareness about visual impairment and importance of white cane for persons with visual impairment. Dr. Saurabh Rai, Assistant Professor was the program coordinator.
Dean, Faculty of Education, Prof.Sara Begum, Head of the Department, Teaching and Training, Professor Nahid Zahoor and faculty members of the department were part of the program. All visually impaired faculty members of the university were invited as special guests in the program.
Program coordinator Dr. Saurabh Rai who himself is visually impaired briefed about the program. He talked about the great work done by persons with visual impairment and discussed the importance of white cane for the persons with visual impairment. The law of the white cane and its history was also discussed during the program. Other visually impaired faculty members also expressed their opinions during the program.
Dr. Rashid, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law strongly supported the inclusion of the International White Cane Act in the IPC and Road Safety Act in India and emphasized its need. Dr. Mohammad Atif Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce discussed many problems and challenges faced in daily life and in the life of visually impaired people. Shri Mukesh Barnwal, Assistant Professor, Department of History also expressed his thoughts.
Apart from faculty members the program was attended by students of B.Ed.and M.Ed. special education. Students also participated in the poster making competition in which Rafia Bano got first, Sajida Ansari got second, Sadaf Bano and Nida Moin got third place. A special march was also organised in which students of special education demonstrated white cane and displayed special visual assistive technology.