Swagat Thorat is a wildlife photographer, playwright, painter, editor, and director. Known as the Braille Man of India, he published India's first registered fortnightly Braille newspaper in the Marathi language, called Sparshdnyan.[1] He has also directed plays with blind performers.[2]

Swagat Thorat
Born20 March
NationalityIndian
Occupation(s)Writer, poet, painter, photographer, director, editor
TitleBraille Man of India

Career

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Swagat Thorat was raised in Chandrapur in Maharashtra.[3] In 1993, he created the documentary Kallokhatil Chandane for Pune Akashwani. As a theatre director he staged Teen Paishacha Tamasha[4] and Apoorva Meghdoot[5] with a cast of blind artists. He also published Sparshagandh,[6] the first Braille Diwali magazine, in 1998 and worked for some time as editor and publisher of Sparshdnyan,[7][8][9][10] the first registered fortnightly Braille newspaper in India (founded 15 February 2008). He has also been Chief Editor of Reliance Drishti,[11][12] the most widely printed and read Braille fortnightly newspaper in India, which was founded in March 2012.

Awards and recognition

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  • Real Heroes Award from CNN-IBN and Reliance[13]

References

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  1. ^ Menon, Sudha (15 January 2008). "Marathi magazine to be launched in Feb is first Braille fortnightly". mint. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  2. ^ "Braille Man of India - who gave new vision to the Blind". RISE FOR INDIA. 16 February 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  3. ^ "A dream come true". The Hindu. 6 September 2013. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  4. ^ Rowe, Maggie (2018), "Counselling the Visually-impaired Adult", The Visually Impaired, Routledge, pp. 85–95, doi:10.4324/9780429486845-9, ISBN 978-0-429-48684-5, retrieved 11 July 2020
  5. ^ "नवी दृष्टी देणारं 'अपूर्व मेघदूत'". Loksatta (in Marathi). 2 April 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  6. ^ Salgaokar, Shakti (3 May 2011). "Special: Shining some light for the blind". DNA India. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  7. ^ Westhead, Rick (22 May 2011). "Braille newspaper shows blind new world". Sunday Guardian. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  8. ^ Ajmera, Ankit (1 May 2011). "In touch with the headlines". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  9. ^ Dhinda, Archisman (8 August 2013). "Swagat Thorat on why he started India's first Braille magazine". Gulf News. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Braille newspaper helps thousands stay informed in India". thestar.com. 1 May 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  11. ^ "Reliance Foundation Drishti – Providing Vision – Reliance Foundation". Reliancefoundation.org. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  12. ^ "अब दृष्टिहीन पढ़ सकेंगे हिन्दी अख़बार". BBC (in Hindi). 20 March 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  13. ^ Hingorani, Priya (20 March 2012). "Reliance launches Braille newspaper with Real Hero". News18. Retrieved 11 July 2020.