Radio Aksh which is india‘s first ever radio channel for the visually impaired has been launched ched in Nagpur, India by the Blind Relief Association Nagpur and Samdrushti Kshamata Vikas Avam Anusandhan Mandal (Saksham).
Radio Aksh; Nagpur
The aim of Radio Aksh channel was to ensure that the visually impaired has easy access to all educational resources.
Before the pandemic, the Blind Relief Association used to provide the visually impaired with audio books. But due to the covid-19 restrictions they could not. And hence the radio channel was created.
With the help of internet, the radio aksh can be accessible to all geographical regions and people who are visually impaired can have access to the vast information that is provided in the digital platform.
A group of volunteers who are trained has helped in the creation of the channel. These volunteers who are mostly women gave made the contents easily available to the audience not only in India but also around the world.
Shirish Darvekar, who is the coordinator of the channel and a member of Samdrushti Kshamata Vikas Avam Anusandhan Mandal told one of the leading news agency, “For the last few years, visually impaired people used to come to us and get their audiobooks made by us on their devices. But COVID-19 put this to a halt. It affected their learning so we had to think of a stand-by arrangement. We got to know of launch of Internet Radio in India and we got in contact with a company making softwares for it. Though our requirements were unique to them, they promised cooperation. This is perhaps the first Internet Radio for the visually-impaired
He further added that, “Unlike FM and AM, Internet Radio has no geographical limits. Content is pre-recorded. We have presenter each for various subjects covered on the radio. We have a team of 20 people, mostly women who are housewives. They are trained and know their work well. No one is paid, all have a sense of servitude,”
One of the important beneficiaries of the channel is that the radio channel serves as a great advantage as most often Braille books are not always available.
