Reflection By Pema Dorji (Low Vision)

My Sincere Message for the Foundation Day

As far as I know, the story begins from 1999 and it continues even today… It would be monotonous to talk about the academic reforms the institute brings to the students because almost everybody, if not all thinks that the sole purpose of any school is to inculcate academic values in students. But to talk the truth, MI’s contributions in academic field are something extra-ordinary. The numbers of resource material that are available now have progressed a lot just in front of our eyes. Similarly, the ever succeeding performance of the students and the way they expose to the normal friends of two other main-stream schools is yet another achievement of MI that is worth mentioning. And the ICT facility that the institute is equipped with is a blessing in general to all.

Now I should say that the development in ICT is the biggest achievement; yearly we see batches of students coming out equipped with ICT knowledge and its applications.

MI is a real home for all the students when we talk in terms of the achievements in other wholesome educational areas. The visual impairments do not obstruct any person who has graduated from MI in their life because of the numerous useful activities the institute organizes. MI has made every visually impaired student fairly independent. We have the Orientation and Mobility Exercise, Activities of Daily Living and basic Driglam sessions being conducted frequently. Teachers take the role of parents in helping the students in all the ways they can.

And to this point, I must say that I too have enjoyed all above facilities in my thirteen years of stay in Khaling. I owe my respect and gratitude to the teachers, friends and other faculty members for making me what I am today. Needless to talk about the skills that students gain during their stay in MI in various other fields like games and sports, culture, value education, creativity and so on because the nation as a whole is witnessing all these abilities wrested in every visually impaired child.

I therefore, would like to genuinely inform all my younger brothers and sisters there in MI to learn as much as you can, have fun and take every opportunity you get to become the best. We in the name of our disabilities cannot take things for granted because the time has now come where we have to stand on our own and earn the bread. Somebody has rightly said, “No one saves us, but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.” Remember this and do your best.

I join MI youngsters in equally extending our heartfelt gratitude to the Royal Government of Bhutan, Norwegian Aid Development, Faculties of MI and all other supporters for your immense contributions in upbringing the status of visually impaired children along with other disabled citizens of Bhutan in relation to all normal citizens. We thank each and every one of you from the core of our heart and we will keep appreciating your further supports in improving the lives of innocent visually impaired children of Bhutan who are otherwise capable in everything if given opportunities.

I join this auspicious day in wishing a very “Happy 40TH ANNIVERSARY Day of MI, serving the visually impaired of the Nation”.

Thank you. Sincerely, Pema Dorji (Low Vision) B.A., LL.B (Hons). NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad