In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Apoorv Kulkarni who is a qualified Chartered Accountant and an MBA from Stanford University. After his initial stint with KPMG India, Apoorv traveled to the US to try something new. While pursuing his MBA, he was exposed to a world where technology and innovation opened up a whole new world of opportunities which lessened the day to day barriers a great deal.  Having lost his vision to an eye condition called Macular Dystrophy, Apoorv realised how much more was possible. He now works as the Head of Accessibility and Inclusion with the Ola Mobility Institute. In this podcast, Apoorv shares his growing up years in Nagpur, the strategic move to Mumbai and life abroad. He also shares excerpts from his recent research on urban travel experiences of persons with disabilities and the quest to build more inclusive transport systems. To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/qjmXfBKQby27Y4d4COv1-a2dT9Y This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Moses Chowdari who is a person with low vision, working with Enable India in Bangalore. Moses was born to a farmer family in a village in Andhra Pradesh and his vision impairment was detected when he was three months old. Growing up, his family wasn't sure what life had in store for him, assuming that blind people generally end up singers or musicians. But his hard work took him to a college in Hyderabad, where Moses relied on his friends to help him study.  Frustrated with such dependence, he turned up for computer training at Enable India. From this point on, his life took a completely new turn, one which he didn't imagine. Today, Moses is well versed with technology and wishes to see a world where the next generation of blind people can independently read and write. A staunch advocate of digital literacy, his work involves skilling and placing persons with disabilities in the corporate sector.  Tune in to find out how he turned his life around!  To access the podcast transcript, click on link:  https://otter.ai/u/QQ2lbRgnud_cK_-B_Bt8f2e5N2U  This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks to Dr. Meghna Varma who was a practicing ophthalmologist. Midway through her professional career and life, Dr. Meghna suffered sight loss due to Retinitis Pigmentosa. She was lucky to have encountered George and Eyeway at a point in life where she was grappling with how to overcome her new challenges. She took things in her stride and managed to transform her life in a way very few can. She worked hard to reinvent herself and today she is a qualified mental health specialist.  Listen to the podcast to know more about Dr. Meghna Varma and her journey of living life with blindness. To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/5ajJZhA2XhdFs4v1hUaQN7uMQsg This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham and Shilpi kapoor speak with Neil Milliken, an English Accessibility and Digital Inclusion Advocate. He is one of the founding members of AXSChat, a leading online community that promotes accessibility and inclusion across social media. He is a W3C expert and contributor and Member of the Board of Directors for the World Institute on Disability. He is currently the Head of Accessibility and Digital Inclusion for Atos. Neil  who has been working in the field of Assistive technology since 2001 also has dyslexia and ADHD. He believes that accessibility is not just a technical issue, but a social justice, fairness and sustainability issue. Tune in to listen to his passionate story of promoting inclusive technology and workplaces through decades of work. To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/KNqSEy-nDBcWkq_1sWSupHQOeBI This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Penny Melville-Brown, a British Royal Navy veteran, blind baker and winner of the Holman Prize. Penny served for 22 years in the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS) and Royal Navy, reaching the rank of commander. She was the first woman to hold the position of naval barrister. She was medically discharged from the Royal Navy in 1999 after her eyesight deteriorated and she created Disability Dynamics to help other people with disabilities to start a business. In 2009, she was awarded an OBE for her service to the disabled. In 2017, she was one of the three winners of the 2017 Holman prize for Blind Ambition, an international award for blind people with ambition. In 2018 she was awarded an honorary doctorate by London Middlesex University. She has an online baking project called Baking Blind where she shows people how she cooks and encourages others to test their limits even if they have disabilities. Penny believes that disability should not be the reason to not try adventurous things, new things, or not do what everybody else does. She is in the process of publishing her book next year in which she shares her Holman Prize world tour, interleaved with her experience of blindness and her history. Tune in to listen to her inspiring and splendid journey! To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/rZ5vpThGklggmzpbBDcXL0glza4 This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Payal Kapoor from Hyderabad, India. Payal was working with the famous Oberoi group when she suffered from Meningitis at the age of 22. As a result she lost her eyesight, her hearing and her sense of smell and touch. She struggled for six years until she decided to turn things around for herself.  After rehabilitating herself and working with an NGO for a while, Payal went back to her first love, the hospitality industry. This time as a person with blindness. In her discovery of new things, talent and a new life, she explored several new areas of work. She experimented with writing, motivational speeches, counseling, training people in using first aid equipment and of course starting her own cooking channel on YouTube.  Listen in to find out how Payal completely turned her life around! To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/k28ZJTVIqojAaKdyyEtuaTHOawU This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Mahendra Galani who lost his eyesight at the age of 12. Mahendra was studying in a regular school at the time and he sat at home for a year and a half until his family learned about ways to educate blind children. He was then sent to Victoria Memorial School for the Blind in Mumbai, after which he pursued his degree in political science and psychology. He got his first job with Life Insurance Corporation of India, thanks to an advocacy campaign for recruitment of the disabled by National Federation for the Blind.  At 32, he relocated to Austria, marrying his first wife. In Vienna, Mahendra had to learn German to interact with the native population. He also learnt computers which opened up job avenues for him. He worked as a telephone counselor and also wrote for local news magazines, before he joined hands with 'Dialogue in the Dark', an experiential exhibit to sensitize the able-bodied people on various aspects of life with blindness.  Mahendra loves traveling, follows the game of cricket and plays chess for the blind. Tune in to listen to his exciting story, all the way from India to Europe. To access the podcast transcript, click on link:  https://otter.ai/u/RYaKwcw0oQn-j7RosRwXe8mmCDM This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham and Shilpi Kapoor speak with Lainey Feingold, an author and a disability rights lawyer from Berkeley, California. After being fired from her legal job of ten years, Lainey started her journey into accessibility for persons with disabilities. She works primarily with the blind community on technology, digital, and information access issues. She is nationally recognized for negotiating landmark accessibility agreements without lawsuits and for pioneering the collaborative dispute resolution method known as Structured Negotiation. The American Bar Association published Lainey's book, 'Structured Negotiation: A Winning Alternative to Lawsuits' in 2016. She likes to use this strategy to bring stakeholders together on the negotiating table rather than aggressively blaming companies and filing lawsuits against the lack of access.  Listen to an award winning lawyer who likes to talk about accessibility in terms of motivation, innovation and inclusion! To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/KctO5muW80jO2X2Aku89TXDnjVI This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Anand Kulkarni, the first and only visually impaired filmmaker in Asia. At the age of seven, Anand was diagnosed with Macular Dystrophy which led to a gradual sight loss. But he managed to study with assistive technology and a great deal of support from his family. When Anand applied for a Bachelors in Mass Media, he was rejected by most top colleges in Mumbai.  But life had visual storytelling in store for him, and he began his journey at KC College. He calls his 36 projects in college as his 36 failures but the best lessons in life. He was enamored by the idea of creating something out of nothing and he relied on his ability to hear everything minutely, or as he calls it, 'shameless eavesdropping'!  With over 100 Digital works to his credit across Fashion, Luxury, Music, Liquor, Home Decor, Life Style, Healthcare and Sustainability, Anand is an award winning Director preferred by leading agencies and brands. Tune in to listen to how a blind man ended up in a visually driven industry of filmmaking. To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/Rx8nYHboTFPJim5n53wVRy9hpN4 This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Divyanshu Ganatra, India's first visually impaired solo paraglider. He was 19 years old when Divyanshu lost his eyesight to glaucoma. An adventurer at heart, someone who loved trekking, cycling and exploring the outdoors, he felt trapped by the sudden vision loss. But after the initial hiccups of acceptance and adjustment, he regained his mental and physical strength.  Apart from paragliding, he is India’s first solo blind trekker, mountaineer, scuba diver, marathoner, and the first blind pillion cyclist to ride from Manali to Khardung La, the highest motorable road in the world. Divyanshu strongly believes that sport can unite the world by bringing people with and without disabilities together in a celebration of differences. To promote disability inclusion and create opportunities for persons with disabilities, he launched the Adventure Beyond Barriers Foundation (https://abbf.in/) An IT professional and a clinical psychologist, Divyanshu is involved in learning and development where he works with senior leadership on emotional intelligence, sensitivity training and inclusion.  Listen to the account of an explorer who enjoys challenging stereotypes around handicap and incubating new beliefs!  To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/6O6w2wEXznmnkNiGpl2IKthX6iI This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Sadaf Khan, a Human Resources professional working with a tech company. Sadaf lost her eyesight at the tender age of three but her parents were determined to give her the best education. She studied in reputed mainstream institutions, getting a masters in Industrial Psychology. A choice that is not considered natural or easy for persons with vision impairment.  Apart from blindness, Sadaf was also struck by rheumatoid arthritis when she was 9 , making her school years quite tough to endure. But medications helped improve the condition and she sprung back to action during her college days.  Sadaf calls herself a 'social animal', who loves to meet new people and explore new places. Her leadership and interpersonal skills have made her the youngest and first woman president of an NGO, Blind Graduates Forum of India.  Tune in to listen to the account of a woman who loves to accept new challenges everyday! To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/VXTzuWRn2H24_qoU-zKPp8tMxAM This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Ritika Sahni, a proclaimed Singer-Performer and a Disability Campaigner. Alongside pursuing her interest in music, Ritika was drawn towards Deaf Education. She is a trained special educator, a communication therapist and a consultant in Disability Inclusion.  She has a vast experience of 30 years in teaching, conducting sensitizing workshops, curating content in the form of music, literature, puppet shows, brochures, radio shows and so on. Ritika created a first of its kind disability awareness campaign across four Delhi Public Schools. She is committed to work with able bodied stakeholders like parents, teachers, youth, corporates and others, in helping them celebrate diversity and not see disability as a disadvantage. Under the banner, Trinayani, Ritika combines her love for art, music and inclusion. She also constituted a band called Pehli Baarish with all disabled participants, to promote a more tolerant society. And what she terms as one of her most exciting projects is an educational gaming kit comprising six card games, to familiarize non-disabled students and adults about various facets of disability. Tune in to listen to an expansive account of her novel journey! Read more about Ritika and her work here, https://www.ritikasahni.com/ To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/IpXpFv5XZenK_JDVuvhgQ_KTq6o This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Poonam Vaidya, a Bangalorean who loves to read, write, travel and explore. Poonam lost her eyesight when she was in college, but unlike most people who take a long time to accept the sudden shift in existence, she was back in a week! Acknowledging her blindness, she focused on the next steps instead.  She trained to use a white cane and computers with screen reading software but her perspective widened after a life-changing experience at the Colorado Center for the Blind. Here she learned to cook, clean, experience adventure sports, self-defense techniques, even carpentry. Skiing, rock climbing, bungee jumping, nothing was impossible for the blind residents at the Center.  She returned confident to India, to pursue her love for words, and work as a content writer. Tune in to listen to her journey of breaking stereotypes and challenging attitudes.  To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/GGwjDQlCpq1CA7y2tSDG2tnCtjU This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Dean du Plessis, a Zimbabwean cricket commentator. He is the world's first visually impaired cricket commentator to participate in international matches. Born blind, Dean was sent off to a special school in South Africa where he discovered his love for cricket. He was fascinated by bowl by bowl commentary on the radio. An interview with the legendary Ravi Shastri, where Dean's knowledge of the game as well as his attention to details despite his blindness, were evident. This interview landed him his first on air assignment when his childhood friend Neil Manthorp, who was doing radio commentary for ESPNcricinfo allowed him a 15-minute stint. Dean's knowledge impressed the Cricinfo team, who hired him for the rest of the series. Today, Dean works for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, with specific shows on cricket as well as music. He also has his own podcast, Dean at Stumps, which is available online. Tune in to listen to Dean's entertaining journey in the broadcasting world and of course his sheer love of cricket! To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/sl5Kyof-qKJEZ3zunQPhNZLaHW0 This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Dr Priti Sharma, an Ayurveda medical practitioner and a trained Yoga therapist. Priti's interests in Ayurveda and Yoga started very early in life, as she was fascinated by the healing benefits of this ancient science. When she suddenly started losing her vision at the age of 30, due to Retinitis Pigmentosa, it came as a rude shock, but even that didn't stop her from practicing medicine. With support from her brother and husband, she slowly learned to accept her new way of life and started turning her energy towards helping those who were in pain.  She focused more on yoga as it helped people improve their health and maintain a sense of overall well-being. Today she runs Prana Yoga Therapy Center (PYTC) which offers services including Yoga for Health and Healing, Yoga Teachers Training, Therapy Yoga Workshops for Diabetes, PCOD, Ante-natal care, Back pain, Hypertension, other life style disorders etc.  As a visually impaired person, she developed her own specific ways of verbal and physical instructions. Priti also started sensitizing teachers on how to teach yoga blindfolded, so that blind people can easily practice asanas like their sighted counterparts. With around 50 visually impaired people signed up for their programs, PYTC has opened up a new professional opportunity in Yoga therapy. Tune in to listen to this inspirational and novel account of blind yoga!  To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/KaBpAV5ysGnaLys8xPVdcQTEoeY This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Jonathan Mosen, a popular broadcaster, advocate and a teacher. With a passion for politics, Jonathan is also the first congenital blind person to stand for parliament in New Zealand in 1993. Jonathan takes pride in his blindness, almost crediting his disability with a lot of fortune that came his way in around five decades of existence. He started his stint in the radio at an early age of four and since then has worked and set up popular mainstream radio stations. He has been instrumental in bringing about legislative changes that have impacted blind people across the world. He currently works as the Chief Executive of Workbridge, the largest employment agency for disabled people in New Zealand. Tune in to know more about his popular show, Mosen Explosion, Mushroom FM, an internet based radio run by all blind people, and of course his personal journey. To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/VZAvgkCZc6omDsdF5_MAXucb1e8 This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Dr Homiyar Mobedji who heads Bookshare in Asia and Africa. Bookshare is owned by a US based company, Benetech, which is a nonprofit social enterprise that empowers communities with software for social good. Bookshare is an online library of accessible ebooks for people with print disabilities, such as visual impairment, severe dyslexia, cerebral palsy, and so on.  Born with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative eye condition, Dr Homiyar went about his life in all ways mainstream. He trained to become a clinical physiotherapist and went on to head the first ever Physiotherapy College for the Blind. An astute supporter of digital literacy for the blind, Dr Homiyar was one of the early users and promoters of assistive technology.  Tune in to listen to his transition from therapy to NGO management and finally a digital literacy activist.  To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/VFoXTQH-qx7SpMMJZoSlwjNHyYY This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Simon Mahoney, a former Royal Marines officer, social work team leader, freelance artist and author. Diagnosed with a condition called Uveitis, Simon lost his eye sight at the age of 64. But in the next ten years, he not only learnt to accept and live a life with blindness but accomplished a great deal.  He has written three books, the fourth one is on its way, he learned to cook and then wrote a book about it! He also re-learned to sail a dinghy using all his other senses mindfully, and now he is trying his hands at mountaineering and skiing.  What's kept him going is not just his love for adventure but a simple philosophy, one of challenging possibilities. Tune in to listen to this magnificent account of a 74-year-old who doesn't consider himself to be disabled at all. To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/XqcOyOI2WHqRC0IFVJunHK0noS4 This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham and Shilpi Kapoor speak with the founders of the famous GAAD movement. Joe Devon and Jennison Asuncion teamed up in 2012 to initiate what's well known as the Global Accessibility Awareness Day. It was a blogpost written by Joe Devon that started it all. In it, Joe highlighted the need for accessibility know-how to become mainstream among developers. Jennison spotted the post on Twitter and the duo ended up pioneering a global campaign! Tune in to listen to their initial brush with accessibility, individual stories and how they reached out to their respective networks to create an impact in the tech community in the US and abroad. Almost ten years later, they are delighted to see the accessibility conversations go mainstream thanks to big tech companies embracing inclusion. Joe and Jennison have also started the GAAD Foundation with the mission to disrupt the culture of technology and digital product development to include accessibility as a core requirement. To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/EfhoRv0CL7oTSu1iv1LZQbjiHZ4 This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Professor M Balakrishnan who is a scientist working with IIT Delhi. Founder of ASSISTECH, a laboratory and a research group, Prof Bala is involved in developing a number of assistive devices targeted towards mobility and education of the visually impaired. One such popular device is the famous SmartCane which was developed by his group and is used by more than 80000 people in India and abroad.  Professor Bala shares his experience of working on three pet projects including products like the SmartCane, OnBoard and DotBook. He has been well recognized for his humanitarian contributions within Computer Science and Informatics. Tune in to know more about these innovations and his contributions to the empowerment of persons with disabilities. To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/SlwEkKKH5QcvI34uAk_dZImYGVA This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Manushree Singh who works as Lead- Diversity and Inclusion in India for Capgemini. A multinational information technology services and consulting company, Capgemini is extremely inclusive in terms of offering persons with disabilities an equal opportunity of employment. In this interaction, Manushree shares the company's inclusive policies, their work culture that promotes and motivates PwDs to grow at the same pace like other employees. She also shares some of the challenges encountered over the years, and how the company and its leadership has devised programs to address the same.  Capgemini not only actively hires PwDs but also invests a fair bit in upskilling and their overall career development. Listen to this enriching story of a company that is out to embrace diversity and make it their biggest advantage.  To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/mSz--SUBtNpWdNq_Vej0bJd0Vis This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Rahul Gupta, a wholesale banker working with a leading private bank. Rahul is a transformational leader, with over 15 years of experience across segments, in India and the UK. His extreme low vision didn't come in the way of securing his BA and Master's degree from prestigious schools in the country, St. Stephen's and Delhi School of Economics.  Rahul wants to lead by example, and leave behind a legacy of courage and optimism. He believes one can achieve anything, once determined towards it. Apart from his interest in Economics, he enjoys writing blogs, sharing his stories and experiences with individuals and organizations. Rahul is also conscious of his health and follows a strict workout regime daily. Tune in to listen to his inspiring journey. To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/yv_ePwf3xkWxDuf0q233kSB6i1c This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with L. Subramani, a journalist and author of the memoir “Lights Out: The True Story Of A Man’s Descent Into Blindness”. After being diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa at the age of 15, Subramani, two years later lost his vision completely, a difficult phase as he recalls in his memoir.  Subramani is a postgraduate who currently works with The Deccan Herald, a renowned English daily. He considers his disability as a strong identity and not a limitation. Tune in to know how he embraced his new life with a strong resolve. To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/dEGBY6S9O3FyDDosH8mPIdQ46Vo This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Ketan Kothari who works as Technical Specialist- Disability at Sightsavers India. Ketan has had an impressive career spanning over thirty years. A post-graduate in Political Science, he started off as a part-time lecturer and then joined National Association for the Blind, Mumbai. In his short stint with BarrierBreak, he learnt a great deal about advocacy and was instrumental in two very important campaigns, Banking rights and Copyright law amendments, ensuring access to the larger visually impaired population of the country. Apart from his work as a disability activist, Ketan loves reading, especially biographies and autobiographies. He enjoys sports like cricket and tennis, in fact, he confesses to have brushed up his spoken English, following sports commentary on the radio.  To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/-R7u4c2xzrc72pfNIeZPlulfKVg This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Siddharth Sharma, Asia's first visually impaired Public Relations professional. Siddharth lost his eye sight in a motorbike accident in his early twenties but he didn't give up on life. Once he rediscovered himself and his interest in communications and public relations, he set up his own boutique firm, Foundations PR in 2002. He first started off with a job at the PR agency, Connections. Once he gained adequate experience and confidence, he decided to become an entrepreneur. Through the years, Siddharth has managed to create a niche for his agency in the lifestyle and luxury domain, working with both iconic national and international brands.  Apart from work, Siddharth enjoys his daily fitness regime and jazz music. Tune in to listen to a rather inspiring journey and how Siddharth plans to pull through this pandemic which has hit his business hard. To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/GyYnll1r0rQb8aORsisI5ytnhEk This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, hear George Abraham and Shilpi Kapoor speak with Debra Ruh, an entrepreneur and a Global Inclusion Strategist. A valued leader and a best-selling author, Debra is the Founder of Ruh Global IMPACT, Human Potential at Work (HPAW), AXSChat and Billion Strong.  She is North America Consultant for UN ILO Global Business and Disability Network (GBDN) and Global Speaker for the US State Dept. Legislative and Technical Experience. She has expertise with Standards and Legislation including the United Nations Convention of Rights for Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), ADA, W3C, WCAG and ISO (Accessibility). She has provided global leadership to governments, corporations, NGOs and DPOs (Disability Persons Organizations) all over the world supporting research, outreach, marketing strategies, policy and standards initiatives with public and private sector. Debra is passionate about Social Media and a Thought Leader and Blogger on ICT Accessibility and Disability Inclusion on various channels with over 130,000 followers. Tune in to hear her journey as a mother, a caretaker and a dynamic businesswoman. She strongly believes in the need for people and organizations across the globe to work towards supporting each other in advocating the rights of persons with disabilities. Her initiative Billion Strong is designed to bring the billions of voices of persons with disabilities together and celebrate allies and accomplices. To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/gVt-7JdFc6i0WA-oxygvqh3GeyM This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Madhubala Sharma, who works as a Deputy General Manager, Learning and Development with Concentrix, a technology-enabled global business services company. Madhubala was born with vision impairment but that did not deter her from living an independent life. She went to a mainstream school and college and then went on to achieve great success in her professional career. With over 17 years of work experience, she has spent 15 years in training, learning and development. Besides being a working professional, Madhu loves to spend time with her family, travelling within and outside the country and taking on challenges in her day to day life. She believes that putting yourself first over the disability is the key to the holistic development of an individual. Tune in to learn more about Madhu'slife and gain insight into her mantras of living a happy life. To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/zNyU2njTpkl0K4Ts4ad0pZrWdTY This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Ajay Minocha,  a Credit Officer with a reputed Deutsche Bank. Born with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative eye condition, Ajay was rejected by many mainstream schools before being accepted by a Hindi medium school. With sheer grit and determination, Ajay went on to be selected by IIM Indore, where he completed his MBA. He is also one of the four visually impaired persons to have successfully completed the Chartered Financial Analyst exam in India. Tune in to hear his interesting story and how he beat the odds to emerge successful in his field. To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/CXWYQ4bOywfhVHXCkzVY8DdWaHk This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, hear George Abraham and Shilpi Kapoor speak with Sheri Byrne-Haber, a global Accessibility Leader and W3C volunteer, a prominent voice in the field of disability and accessibility programmes. Sheri believes in integrating accessibility into systems of organizations such that equality is achieved at a holistic level for customers and employees with disability. She has designed and led accessibility programmes for various well-known companies, propagating cross-disability inclusion. Listen to the podcast to learn about digital accessibility, effective strategies that should be undertaken to facilitate inclusion and more. Hear Sheri talk about the need to generate sensitivity at all levels in an organization to be able to create disabled-friendly resources, technology, processes and an accessible environment. To access podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/hYzy5QRA1i3FkmzaOP3jdZq22hY

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Anuj Dayal, Executive Director, Corporate Communications, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.  Anuj Dayal has been associated with the Delhi Metro since its inception and has won many awards and accolades as a leader and corporate communicator. The conversation touches upon the expansion of the metro, accessibility features, services for People with Disabilities (PwDs) and more. Listen to the podcast to learn about facilities a blind, hearing impaired or physically disabled traveller can expect while using the metro. The mother of metro expansion in India, DMRC strives to explore newer ideas and feedback from PwD users for building more disabled-friendly systems. For podcast transcript, please click the link- https://otter.ai/u/2ao2Lasx-Bhs_lAskbf7uVD24FM

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with UK Chevening scholar Ekinath Khedekar, who is an adventurer at heart. A nature lover and a sports enthusiast involved with lawn tennis for the blind, Ekinath finds happiness in outdoor activities like tandem cycling,  half marathons and swimming. Despite making a start several yards behind the starting line, due to his vision impairment, weak economic background and lack of support in many ways, Ekinath is a corporate professional with successful stints at companies like Reliance and Wipro. He made the most of his education at a special school as well as mainstream premier institutions in Mumbai. His passion for learning took him to London where he pursued his interests in Law and Sustainability. Listen to this account of a visually impaired person who isn't shy of accepting his disability, working hard and setting higher goals at every juncture in his life.  For podcast transcript, please click on the link- https://otter.ai/u/E-FHC_9eymj1SkZwPHPhH_CFZQc

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Pranav Lal, a specialist in cyber security. Pranav lost his eyesight due to Retinopathy of Prematurity, a condition that inflicts infants born prematurely. He started off his education in the Gulf using braille, and gradually moved on to digital mediums. With an academic background in Commerce and Business Administration, he shifted gears to IT when he discovered he could solve problems by writing programs. Pranav taught himself to write code when he was in Class 9. He is also an avid traveler and a photographer, things one doesn't normally associate with a visually impaired person. Listen to the podcast to learn all about this technology enthusiast!

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Moses Chowdhari who is a person with low vision, working with Enable India in Bangalore. Moses was born to a farmer family in a village in Andhra Pradesh and his visual impairment was detected when he was three months old. Growing up, his family wasn't sure what life had in store for him, assuming that blind people generally end up singers or musicians. But his hard work, took him to a college in Hyderabad, where Moses relied on his friends to help him study. Frustrated with such dependence, he turned up for a computer training at Enable India. From this point on, his life took a completely new turn, one which he didn't imagine. Moses is well verse with technology and wishes to see a world where the next generation of blind people can independently read and write. A staunch advocate of digital literacy, his work involves skilling and placing persons with disabilities in the corporate sector. Listen to the podcast for how he turned his life around!

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Guneet Sethi who acquired blindness much later in life. But she never gave up on life. In a career of 30 years, Guneet has worked different jobs like teacher, communications specialist, creative writer and trainer. A motivational speaker, she is known for her recipe of a perfect cup of coffee! Do listen in to this delightful account of perseverance.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Payal Jethra who was born with a vision impairment. Payal, a single mother living in Mumbai, works for a nationalised bank where she handles mostly NRI clients as part of her job. Payal also enjoys writing about her experiences of parenting, spirituality and of course life with blindness. Listen to this podcast to know more about her life as a professional, a parent and most importantly, as a social being, always ready to engage with people. 

In this two-part conversation between George Abraham and Payal Kapoor, she shares her rather interesting life journey after losing eyesight at the age of 22. After rehabilitating herself and working with an NGO for a while, Payal went back to her first love, the hospitality industry. This time as a person with blindness. In her discovery of new things, talent and a new life, she has explored several new areas of work as well. She experimented with writing, motivational speeches, counseling, training people in using first aid equipment and of course starting her own cooking channel on YouTube. Listen to the episode to find out how she completely turned her life around!