Visually impaired Ashwin is vocal about rights of disabled people & women’s empowerment

Ashwin ER, 25 years old, is a visually impaired youngster who hails from Palakkad in Kerala. He is gearing up to write his competitive exams. Ashwin, who is vocal about rights of disabled people and women empowerment is selling masks made by people with disabilities and women from economically backward families.

Working for India’s marginalized communities is a cause very close to Kerala-based youngster Ashwin’s heart. So a visual impairment has not stopped him from chasing his dreams. Ashwin, 25 years old, finished his post-graduation in political science. He is currently selling masks made by people with disabilities and women from economically backward families, a cause for which he has been working for months. Ashwin also makes videos in which he spreads message about the need to reach out to disabled people during Coronavirus times.

A self-made youngster

Ashwin hails from Palakkad, a small town in Kerala. Visually impaired by birth, he completed his studies from Aluva School of Blind and then another inclusive school in Palakkad.

Ask Ashwin if he had a tough time being in a school with other regular children and he says, “If parents are there to help children, then kids can do really well in academics. I studied Braille very early and that had helped me a lot”.

He then completed his higher studies and is currently preparing to write competitive exams. Ashwin is looking out to be posted in a government job. “I want a job wherein I can give a lot of time for my family too”, he says.

Voice for disabled people

The number of disabled people in Kerala is way lesser than many other parts of the country. In spite of that, only very few people get government jobs. “I believe it is because of certain circumstances. Most of them sell lottery tickets and some others turn into small businesses. But due to lockdown, all of them have been affected. They lost their jobs and businesses too. There is a scare of Covid virus spread, lack of public transport to sell their products due to which many people don’t even get out”, says Ashwin.

What Ashwin wants to do is help such people flourish and get back to normal life. He says that without the support of concerned authorities and even media, this cannot be done. Ashwin wants to spread the message far and wide so that people from across India understands what disabled people go through during these times.

Ashwin’s demands for disabled people

According to Ashwin, making society aware about difficulties faced by disabled people are extremely important. “Try and help people with disabilities as much as possible”, he says.

Ashwin also wants more television channels to air about disabled people. He has an idea. “During primetime shows when channels have lakhs of viewers, why can’t they talk about disabled people?”, he asks. Though he has made a few YouTube videos, Ashwin points out that only very few people view them too.

This youngster also hopes that Kerala will be made accessible and disabled-friendly soon. “Disabled people here must be able to lead a normal life like everyone else”, he says.

Vocal about women empowerment too, Ashwin wants to bring a positive change to many lives and a smile to the faces of many people from the underprivileged sections.

Watch in Sign Language

Also Read:

• Disability could not beat the IAS dreams of visually impaired Gokul S from Kerala