Braille Resource Center at Central University of Karnataka opens new Doors for visually impaired scholars
Kalaburagi: The Braille Resource Center at the Central Library of the Central University of Karnataka, Kadaganchi, is helping visually impaired students pursue higher education and build independent careers.
For research scholars Shrikant, a student in the Department of Kannada, and Panyan Sai Vinayak from the Department of Linguistics, the Center has been transformative. “It has given us new sight,” they said. Deepa, now a Second Division Assistant at Bengaluru Rural Court, credits the Center with helping her complete her bachelor’s degree. “CUK helped me in completing my graduation though I am blind. The Center not only provided the necessary study materials in Braille script, the teachers at the CUK helped me in studying the material and to appear for the exam,” she said.
The Center was set up on the initiative of the late Prof. M. Maheshwaraiah, former Vice-Chancellor of the Central University, and Prof. P.S. Kattimani, Librarian of the Central Library. The idea took shape after their visits to Pandit Puttaraj Gawai’s Shree Veereshwara Punyashrama in Gadag, where they saw firsthand the challenges faced by visually impaired learners.
The Braille Resource Center was inaugurated by then Chancellor of the Central University of Karnataka, Prof. N.R. Shetty, on October 28, 2018.
Its core objective is to support higher education for visually challenged students by providing assistive technology that fosters self-reliance and independence. The Center also serves as a resource hub for teachers and educationists to build capacity for working with students with visual disabilities.
In addition, it works to raise awareness among employers about the potential of visually impaired candidates when provided with assistive devices and software at the workplace. By creating a common platform for students and the corporate sector, the Center aims to improve employability and bridge the gap between education and opportunity.
