Bangalore: Suresh and Kaveri have never seen each other, but they tied the knot May 29 to start a new life together.
It was the first marriage a Church NGO organized as part of its efforts to rehabilitate visually challenged persons in society.
More than 400 people attending the wedding arranged by the Project Vision of Sumanahalli (goodwill village) Society.
Suresh was born blind 28 years ago to Timmanaika and Ningamma, a farming family in H D Kote. Only four their six children survived, including Suresh. His elder Sister Rajamma and younger sister Mahadevi are also visually challenged. Only 23-year-old sister Manjula has sight.
After he came Sumanahalli society in 2006, Suresh underwent training in garment manufacturing and later completed his pre university studies. He has completed basics in computers and is presently pursuing his Bachelor’s degree in Arts. Suresh is also a singer and musician. The Project Vision employed him to coordinate its activities among the visually challenged persons.
Kaveri was also born blind 25 years ago. She completed her pre university course this year. Her sister Rukmani, 36, is partially blind. Her father died 15 years ago. Two of her brothers Shivarama Gowda and Vasu Gowda are also visually handicapped.
Project Vision arranged everything for the marriage, from invitations, to food and basic necessities for starting a family. The non-profit organization was started in 2013 to promote eye donations and help permanently visually challenged persons to have a better life.
Freedom fighter Doreswamy was present on the occasion as chief guest to bless the marriage. He said that the word disabled must not be used anymore since some of them are more abled than the normal persons.
Doreswamy signed forms to donate his body for research and study after his death with the Project Vision .
Fr George Kannanthanam, Claretian priest , started the Project Vision to promote eye donation as a movement. Already 30,000 persons have signed with Project Vision to donate their eyes after death. About 1,000 persons have joined as Vision Ambassadors to promote the movement in various places. Various programs of rehabilitation are undertaken like education of blind children and now family rehabilitation.
India has 15 million visually challenged persons which is more than one third of the world blind population. India needs about 150,000 cornea transplants annually, but only about 40,000 are available now. That was the reason why Project Vision was started to promote eye donation as a movement in the country with different sections and groups and religions of people.