My name is Veena Mehta Verma and I am visually impaired.

I would like to tell you a few things about myself.

Since I belong to a small place in Odissa, where my father lived, there was a lack of awareness there during that time.

As i result of which I used to stay at home. My father did not know and so I did not receive any formal education till the age of 12.

Parents always feel they should look out for a cure, visit doctors.

In fact, a doctor only suggested to my parents that they should educate me, only then things will improve, otherwise treatment is not possible

So, I started formal education at the age of 12.

I joined NAB Delhi in RK Puram.

I started my education from here.

I got admission directly in class 6. Since then, no looking back

So, I did my 10th and 12th from there.

However, when I came here and saw other blind individuals always talking about going into the field of teaching or taking up music.

But my aim was different.

So, with the support of NAB, I chose to study commerce in class 11th and 12th, because I wanted to do something different and also completed my B.Com

At that time, no one would opt for commerce

However, I knew, that to do something different, i would need to put in more effort.

At that time, many people recommended that I consider pursuing an MBA. By then as part of the Disability Act of 1995 certain job opportunities were also identified.

Alexa, switch on bedroom AC.

Ok

So, I faced a lot of struggles in this. I had applied to various universities for management courses, but at that time, due to the absence of reservations for people with disabilities in such programs, I couldn't secure a spot.

I was advised to pursue a B.Ed. degree, as there, some relaxations could be offered.

However, that is not what I wanted to do

With the support of NAB I filed a case with the Office of Chief commissioner, Disability.

A year later, following my complaint, all AICTE (All India Council of Technical Education) approved institutes were directed to implement a 3% reservation for management and engineering courses.

With these new guidelines in place, I secured admission in a management program in Pune and successfully completed my MBA.

Upon graduation, there were employment issues, there were campus recruitment, many got selected, but I did not, due to obvious reasons

After I returned to Delhi, I started working in a private company.

This job marked the beginning of my career. After completing my MBA I got a very basic job in a software solution company in Noida.

I believed it was better to do something rather than doing nothing.

I attribute much of my current success to the experience I gained during those three years.

While working at the company and being involved in technical recruitment, I realized that this job was not suitable for me.

I wanted something big.

I had done my MBA in HR, so, I wanted a job related to Human Resource only.

After sending out numerous job applications, participating in written exams, interviews and group discussions, I got selected.

And today, I hold the position of Manager, HR at NTPC

Power on

Beige jeans

Blue trousers

I have been with NTPC for 15 years now

I have got many promotions too

While I have a job I also have to manage home, health and everything else.

During this process, when I stepped out of the house, I got to know many more things, got to know the problems that persons with visually impairment face.

One major challenge, faced by, specially young visually impaired girls is, that they should know how to cook. If they do not know how to cook then they know nothing.

Now, visually impaired girls can definitely cook, but people cannot imagine it at all.

Many parents and caregivers just do not allow their children, boys or girls with visual impairment to go into the kitchen.

They are afraid that they might get their hand burned or cut themselves.

I then challenged myself to change this social taboo too, and do all my work, myself.

I was determined to learn many things by myself, I took help from others a lot of support and learnt how to do things and to cook, all by myself

Since I have practised cooking, I now teach it to many people, through practical classes or by sharing recipes through voice notes and sharing information on how to cook using accessible methods.

Of course nowadays since I have got busy, I have to take the help of maids also.

But since I love cooking, whenever I get time, I cook.

And since I am health conscious, I also like to cook healthy food and also take care of my health.

For a visually impaired to go outside for a walk or go to the gym is challenging.

So I have got everything at home only, treadmill, cross trainer and sometimes I do yoga and pranayama too, at home

I like dressing up too and I try to recognize, since I have a little light perception and in childhood I could see partially, so I am aware about colours.

So, I just identify colours with the help of Audio Labeller and accordingly make my combinations, match colours and wear

People around me were always surprised, they find me very well dressed. They think that I have a very good dressing sense.

So, they are very surprised and wonder how I know colours?

Sometimes after checking with the Audio labeller, I also arrange my clothes in a particular way.

I organize in such a way that I keep dark-colored clothes on one side and light-colored clothes on the other, separating shirts from trousers and jeans.

Within the same cupboard, I arrange clothes in such a way that I can quickly find whatever I want to wear.