Lage Raho Munna Bhai To Be Screened For The Visually Impaired At IFFI This Year
Lage Raho Munna Bhai is one of the most iconic movies of Bollywood. It has been revealed that it is slated to be screened at IFFI in Goa between November 23-25, 2019. The movie will be screened as an initiative taken by Saksham Trust for the visually impaired to access the joy of cinema through audio description. Audio description is an innovation that dramatically enhances the accessibility of films through its additional narration. The additional narration translates visual information and non-dialogue portions into spoken words so that the visually impaired can also access and enjoy films as much as others do.
Making movies accessible will send out message of inclusion: Dipendra Manocha
Speaking to media, Saksham founder Dipendra Manocha said making movies accessible to visually impaired people would send out the message of inclusion.“Accessibility is not only about making buildings accessible. Movies are one of the best entertainment opportunities available for the society. Making movies accessible will create a whole experience of being part of society and be felt that our rights are acknowledged,” he said.
Accessible India-Accessible Films section launched at IFFI
In a bid to create an all-inclusive festival, the 50th IFFI edition is screening three films for those with special needs, under the ‘Accessible India-Accessible Films’ section.
This is a joint collaboration between IFFI, Saksham Bharat and UNESCO. The aim is to promote the creation of inclusive spaces for the differently-abled through Audio deion.
The JCB Literature Foundation has announced at the ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival 2020, today
The announcement was made during a special session entitled, “Literature for All: The JCB Prize Shortlist in Braille”. Moderated by Mita Kapur, writer and Literary Director of the JCB Prize for Literature, the session discussed accessibility of literature and literary fiction for the visually impaired. The panelists included Ananth Padmanabhan, CEO of HarperCollins India, Dipendra Manocha, founder of the Saksham Trust and member of the Executive Committee of the World Blind Union and Siddhant Shah, founder of Access for All.
Accessible cinema: Govt asks filmmakers to make audio descriptions part of production
Adopting NGO Saksham’s audio-described works using UI-enabled app XL Cinemas that synchronises audio-described tracks onto movies, films like Ranbir Kapoor’s Sanju, Ayushmann Khurrana’s Andhadun, John Abraham’s Romeo Akbar Walter (RAW) and Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Thackeray opened to audio descriptions at PVR Cinemas, a couple of weeks after the initial release. Till now, more than 12,000 people have used the audio captioning feature available on the app.
Making movies accessible will send out a message of inclusion: Dipendra Manocha
Accessibility of cinema was the central focus of discussion when the founders of Saksham Trust meet the press at a media conference organised at IFFI today. Saksham founders Dipendra Manocha, Rummi K. Seth, Officer on special duty, Directorate of Social Welfare, Goa government,Thaha Hazik and Technical expert Narendra Joshi explained the project undertaken by Sakhsam to make films inclusive for all. Director of animation film ‘Bombay Rose’ Smt Gitanjali Rao also participated in the press conference.
Making cinema an enjoyable experience for the differently abled
A workshop on making cinema an enjoyable experience for the differently abled was organised at Siri Fort recently. Officials from the Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF), UNESCO and the NGO Saksham participated in the event.
IIT-Delhi researchers develop 'DotBook', India's first Braille laptop for the visually impaired
Dipendra Manocha, Managing Director, Saksham Trust and President of the DAISY Forum of India, shared that "DotBook opens up Digital life to Braille users. It creates an eco-system that allows people who read and write in Braille, to communicate seamlessly with the rest of the world using normal print. It is so heartening to see the cost reduction that DotBook offers to this wonderful solution."
Teacher’s Day 2017: Three women who have fought to change lives beyond just books
Mrinal Kanta Saxena, Surabhi Kundra and Bipasha Sengupta are your everyday people, who come from diverse backgrounds, but have now dedicated their time and life to teach children who face more fierce challenges than your average Joe in Saksham Resource Center.
Another Record for Aamir Khan's Dangal
The audio description of the film is production of Saksham, an NGO that has been working for the visually impaired since 14 years. The NGO will also be working on the audio description of Hindi Medium, Airlift, and Raag Desh and have already completed it for more than 40 movies including PK and Black. "It took us over two months to do the audio description of ‘Dangal’. What people don’t realize is that entertainment is as important for a differently-abled person as it is for us," Rummi Seth, founder and managing trustee of Saksham.
LINK: http://www.masala.com/another-record-for-aamir-khans-dangal-247557.html
National Women's Day: Visually impaired woman show light to others in Jalandhar
Deepika Sood is running an NGO Saksham for visually-impaired and is working with zeal to spread awareness about the disability. She is the general secretary of Saksham Punjab. She started the NGO in 2011.Presently around 400 blind students are associated with the NGO.
‘Dangal’ Adds Audio Description for Visually-Impaired Audiences
Aamir Khan’s Dangal has managed to set yet another milestone. A special audio track has been dubbed for the film in order to reach out to its differently-abled audiences on television. An NGO named Saksham has created the audio for the visually-impaired. They have also made audio descriptions for films like PK and Black.
LINK: https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/dangal-audio-descriptions-tv
Dangal: Aamir Khan starrer becomes first Indian film to have audio description for visually impaired
The report quotes the founder of the NGO, Rummi Sethi as saying, "It took us over two months to do the audio description of 'Dangal'. What people don't realise is that entertainment is as important for a differently-abled person as it is for us."
Darkness Visible
“The idea is to make an inclusive space for the visually-impaired,” says Rummi Seth of Saksham, an NGO that has hosted several film screenings for the blind at several venues in Delhi. “It was always on my mind to do something of this nature, so we decided to set up a team that could help us with achieving our goal. I contacted television and theatre personality Sushma Seth, who quite happily agreed to do voice-overs for us. Then I reached out to Narendra Joshi, a well-known radio personality, who came on board with us to do the scripts. That’s how we have created cinema which could also be enjoyed by the visually-impaired.”
LINK: http://www.sundayguardianlive.com/culture/10504-darkness-visible
At the recently concluded MAMI Film Festival, visually-challenged cinephiles gather after a special screening of the film.
With 15 million visually-challenged people, India is home to the world’s largest blind population. Delhi’s Saksham Trust has been doing a sterling job in making cinema accessible to them.
LINK: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-sight-by-sound-2269129
Meenakshi Shedde: French kiss for the blind
There are 62 million blind and low-vision people in India, according to a WHO study in 2010, and even more blind South Asians, many of whom passionately watch Bollywood and Indian movies, so it's smart business as well. Saksham, an NGO working with the blind, has audio described DVDs of 22 films, including Taare Zameen Par, PK, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Black.
LINK: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/meenakshi-shedde-french-kiss-for-the-blind/17722166
At National Museum, exhibition for those who can’t see
“Museums have come a long way to accommodate the disabled. Wheelchair access has improved and many museums offer tours in sign language for the deaf. But what about the visually impaired who can’t experience art because even touching artworks is strictly prohibited at museums? This gallery might offer an answer,” said a spokesperson for the NGO Saksham, which works with the visually impaired.
Smart help for blind wins Indian MIT innovator award
Created as a student project at IIT Delhi by Rohan, his IIT teachers, NGO Saksham and industry partner Phoenix Medical Devices, Chennai, SmartCane was launched last year. It hopes to reach over a million people worldwide.
Snapdeal partners IIT-Delhi; launches smart canes for visually impaired
In a move to aid visually impaired people, Indian e-retailer Snapdeal has launched SmartCane—electronic travel aid that ensures independent mobility and safety of the visually impaired—in collaboration with IIT-Delhi and Phoenix Medical Solutions.The donated products will be shipped directly to NGO partner Saksham that works for empowering persons with blindness. Online platform—The Better India is supporting the cause as an outreach partner.
‘Access Braille’ Supports Visually Impaired in India
Access Braille partners with the DAISY Forum of India and Saksham Trust, both based in Delhi, and with several NGOs around India to digitize books and provide them in “DAISY” (Digitally Accessible Information System” format. Last year Access Braille volunteers helped digitize NIOS books (National Institute of Open Schooling) in India.
Affordable tech for the differently-abled: A sign of the changing times?
Take for instance the work that is being done to launch a "SmartCane" device. The cane is a joint project being worked upon by the Saksham Trust and IIT Delhi, and it is slated to be launched in March. According to the spokesperson for Saksham, the cane will ensure independent mobility, help detect hazards such as obstacles raised above knee height, and allow the user to find his or her path easily and reduce awkwardness and injury. "In addition it has an ergonomic grip and the detection distance has been increased from the old 0.5 metres to three metres now," says Supriya Das, who is associated with the Saksham Trust.