Eyeway Conversations

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Kiran Kaja, who works as an Accessibility Program Lead with Instagram in Menlo Park, California, United States. 

Born in India with a rare degenerative eye disease, Kiran sought out his passion for accessibility and working to make software and hardware useful and accessible for people with disabilities. He has over 16 years of experience in working with the leading tech companies across the globe that includes Google, where he worked as an Accessibility Program Lead for Search, Assistant and Devices in London, United Kingdom.

Kiran credits technology for his success and believes that it has the power to change the lives of people with disabilities. Through his work he wants to provide others with the same opportunity. He also founded the Access India Email discussion group which has provided a platform for thousands of blind computer users in India to discuss technology developments and solutions. 

Tune in to listen to Kiran, as he shares his enriching experiences of working and living overseas.

To access the podcast transcript, click on link:

https://otter.ai/u/6sYHN2POTIqNeRSPIDJaeiNGwD8

This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Nagraj More, Chief Manager, Training and Development at Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).

Nagraj was born blind and growing up had often heard people blaming his karma for his blindness. But his mother ensured that he grew up to be an independent man shunning all the negative comments people made about her blind son.

After completing Masters in Human Resource, Nagraj joined BPCL, where he received immense support from his team and colleagues to carry out his duties. Now a full time coach, Nagraj has also received an outstanding disabled employee award in 1988 by the former Prime Minister of India, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Tune in to listen to Nagraj’s success story that he has created with sheer determination and hard work.

To access the podcast transcript, click on link:

https://otter.ai/u/_yuwljajSaN7ANPwGZBlMNekWlE

This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Pranjal Patil, the first visually impaired woman IAS officer in India.

Pranjal lost her eyesight at an early age of six due to Retinal Detachment. Following which she was shifted to a special residential School for Blind girls in Mumbai, Maharashtra, the decision she is grateful for and that changed the course of her life. 

Pranjal’s interest in civil service examinations was a result of her keenness towards social issues and the enthusiasm to tackle them. In her first stint as an IAS officer, she was posted as an Assistant Collector in Ernakulam, Kerala, in 2018. Currently posted as District Magistrate for Shahdara district, Pranjal believes in fulfilling her roles and responsibilities with utmost sincerity.

Tune in to listen to Pranjal’s exciting journey of achieving her dream and the contributing factors that led her to where she is today.

To access the podcast transcript, click on link:

https://otter.ai/u/kaXWxIgSMoIDfWReBo28l17x0z8

This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Preetham Gandhi Sunkavalli, who works with a leading automobile company in Mumbai, as part of their Business Transformation team. 

Preetham experienced vision loss at an early age due to Retinitis Pigmentosa. But he was fortunate to pursue a good education from mainstream institutions. His initial dream was to become a physicist but given the limited awareness and opportunities, he chose Economics and Management instead. An MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, Preetham learnt a great deal from his peers, faculty and the supportive system at the premier institute. 

In a largely traditional automotive industry, clear communication and hard work has helped make a place for himself. Tune in to listen to his journey and aspirations of building inclusive brands and products for exceptional customer experience.

To access the podcast transcript, click on link:

https://otter.ai/u/BcMZq1iQgV6a7r2jAMPRoOHFzS8

This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Deepthi Bopaiah, CEO of GoSports Foundation, a non-profit venture working towards developing some of India's top talent in Olympic and Paralympic disciplines. 

Growing up in Coorg, Deepthi was involved in sports, playing Tennis and Basketball for Karnataka University and the state. Although she started her career in banking, she switched to sports administration, after learning about the vision and mission of GoSports. Deepthi and her team use sports excellence as a vehicle for social change, and a tool to improve the lives of individuals as well as communities. 

With Rahul Dravid, Pullela Gopichand, John Gloster and other prominent personalities on board, GoSports is constantly strategizing on how to bring global expertise into the Indian space. 

Tune in to listen to Deepthi's journey, her ambitions and the changing state of Paralympics in the country. 

To access the podcast transcript, click on link:

https://otter.ai/u/ek1OR5JWKJjgmluZebbW8flRW14

This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Ruchi Patil, mother of a visually impaired boy. Arijit Patil is a Class XII student in Mumbai who experienced vision problems from an early age. A premature baby born in the sixth month of Ruchi's pregnancy, his retina didn't quite develop as expected. After the initial reaction of shock and panic, his parents got into problem solving mode, visiting top eye hospitals. And finally they realised the need to salvage what they had instead of focusing on what wasn't. 

Ruchi bombarded Arijit's world with sounds and music as opposed to visuals, something sighted children his age were experiencing. She didn't want him to feel left out on any front, and started off his journey with an early interventionist. A career woman, she made her son's progress the sole goal of her life, giving up her job. 

Listen to this podcast where Ruchi shares practical tips, some frustrations, a culture of inclusion at school and dreams that she worked with. 

To access the podcast transcript, click on link:

https://otter.ai/u/2z7wHqQIni8lF3etbCLT8ahs6qE

This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd

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