HH Sheikha Arwa Al Qassimi sponsors a photography exhibition by the blind to highlight their day- to- day lives

The New Delhi blind photography exhibition took place at the British Council on the 1st and 2nd of December to mark the international day for people with disabilities.

In this event, participants with impaired vision were given a chance to showcase their photo taking abilities. The exhibition displayed about 30 photographs of blind persons portraying diverse activities done by them, including their day-to-day work.

The organizer of the event was Sightsavers, an acknowledged, charitable organization that aims at preventing unnecessary blindness, in addition to advocating for the social participation and equal treatment of disabled people.

The photographs displayed in the exhibition were part of a campaign named ‘The Blind View’, a photography workshop that was started by Sightsavers and Beyond Sight Foundation for the fanatics of blind photography. The exhibition benefitted from the support of Her Highness Sheikha Arwa Al Qassimi, who comes from the royal family of Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimahin the United Arab Emirates.

People with normal visual ability ignorantlyregard photography to be simply an extension of sight: a way of capturing and preserving memories and events. They are oblivious of the fact that the blind are gifted with the ability to use other senses to build a deeper awareness of their surroundings. The Blind View project sought to bring these unique abilities of the blind to reality in order to confront the widespread notions on disability.

How can blind people take photographs? Visually impaired persons achieve this by using the senses of touch, smell and textures. These senses are behind the successful photo shoot of Katrina Kaif, a Bollywood actor, done by the visually impaired photographer, Bhuvesh Patel, for use in the Lux Perfume Portraits campaign advert.

The Blind View has displayed 16 photographs taken by some of the participants on their website where visitors can vote for the best photo. These photographs include images of popular tourist attractions in Delhi such as India Gate, the Qutab Minar and the iron pillar, a male dancer and several pictures of the blind doing activities like working on a laptop and taking photos of an old camera.

Sightsavers, in collaboration with the Beyond Sight Foundation, a photography enterprise for blind people, organized two photography workshops for people living with visual impairment. The workshops took place in Mumbai and Bangalore and culminated in an event in Delhi. Photographs taken by participants were publicly exhibited in Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, and in online virtual galleries.

Some of the notable personalities who attended the events were Partho Bhowmick, the founder of Beyond Sight Foundation; RN Mohanty, the CEO of Sightsavers (India); and Gill Caldicott, Director Operations, British Council India.

The director of Sightsavers, Mr. Mohanty, stated that the aim of the project was to display the day to day activities of the visually impaired, how assistive technology helps them do their work, etc.

Mr. Bhowmick commented on the workshops that had taken place earlier in the year, stating that the participants received training on how to take perfect photos under the supervision of skilled experts. He added that the events had seen the participation of the popular blind photographer, Bhuvesh Patel, who recently did a photo shoot of Katrina Kaif, a Bollywood actress.

According to Caldicott, the British Council was pleased to work with Sightsavers in providing a platform where the incredibly gifted blind photographers could display their work. He added that the exhibition was not only a display of the blind photographers’ talent but also a way of helping the general public to appreciate the abilities of the visually impaired.

Besides the exhibition, Sightsavers also arranged a musical performance that featured talented blind singers. The Hosla Charitable Trust collaborated with Sightsavers in conducting the performance. The event’s conclusion featured fun-filled and entertaining activities that let the visitors reflect on their perceptions towards visually impaired persons and gave them a chance to evaluate a blind person’s life.

Since 1966, Sightsavers has successfully inspired 53.4 million people in India, treating the eyes of 36.2 million people, and performing 4.9 million eye operations.