Eyeway Conversations

In this inspiring episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Chhonzin Angmo, the first visually challenged person from India and the first visually challenged woman in the world to climb Mount Everest.

Born in Chango village, Kinnaur district, Chhonzin’s journey from a small Himalayan village to the highest peak on earth is one of extraordinary courage and determination. A graduate of Miranda House, University of Delhi, and now working with Union Bank of India, she proves that resilience and purpose can take you anywhere — even to the roof of the world.

From training on ice-clad slopes to facing moments of fear and exhaustion, Chhonzin’s story is about mental strength, courage, and the will to keep moving when everything tells you to stop. Her climb is not just a personal victory but an inspiration for every person who has ever been told “you can’t.”

What You’ll Learn

• How Chhonzin Angmo made history on Mount Everest

• Her journey from Kinnaur to Delhi to the world stage

• Losing eyesight due to wrong medication — and rebuilding life with purpose

• The importance of mental strength over physical limits

• Training, discipline, and the challenges of high-altitude mountaineering

• How inclusion and opportunity can turn dreams into milestones

Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction
02:15 - Growing up in Chango village, Kinnaur district
05:10 - Journey into mountaineering
08:30 - Training and preparation
12:00 - Facing challenges on the climb
16:45 - Lessons in mental strength
20:15 - Making history on Mount Everest
23:30 - Message to others with disabilities

Guest: Chhonzin Angmo, Mountaineer, graduate of Miranda House (Delhi University), and employee at Union Bank of India — the first visually challenged person from India and the first visually challenged woman in the world to climb Mount Everest.

About Eyeway Conversations
Eyeway Conversations brings real stories of people living with blindness and vision impairment—highlighting their journeys of education, employment, and empowerment. Powered by Score Foundation, Eyeway aims to foster inclusion through awareness, dialogue, and shared experiences.

If you know someone with vision impairment who needs support, call the Eyeway Helpline: 8800 00 4334

Visit:⁠⁠ www.scorefoundation.org.in

What does courage look like when life takes everything away?

In this episode of Eyeway Rubaru, we meet Rani (Pramodini Roul) — an acid attack survivor who lost her vision but not her will to live. From pain and rejection to finding freedom and self-worth, Rani’s story is a powerful reminder that even in darkness, the human spirit can shine the brightest.

“Even though this face is burnt, it motivates people. It gives courage to those who can’t move forward in life,” says Rani, who turned her scars into symbols of strength and hope.

Eyeway Rubaru is an initiative by Score Foundation under Project Eyeway — a platform that brings forward stories of people who experience late blindness and rebuild their lives with courage, dignity, and determination.

Watch Rani’s journey of transformation from surviving an acid attack to inspiring countless others and discover what it truly means to rise again.

Listen to the full episode of Eyeway Rubaru now! If you know someone with vision impairment who needs support, call the Eyeway Helpline: 8800 00 4334

Visit:⁠ www.scorefoundation.org.in

In this thought-provoking episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Dr. Ishan Chakraborty, professor of English at Jadavpur University, Kolkata. Dr. Chakraborty shares his journey of losing vision at 19, finding his voice through literature, and shaping academic spaces that embrace disability, gender, and diversity.

Through his story, we explore how disability and queerness intersect in a world that often overlooks both. From challenging stereotypes in higher education to “Cripping” the classroom, Dr. Chakraborty’s journey redefines what it means to teach, learn, and live authentically.

Join us as we uncover how language, technology, and activism come together to build a more inclusive world—where blindness and identity are not barriers but lenses through which we understand humanity.

What You’ll Learn

• How blindness shaped Dr. Chakraborty’s academic and personal journey

• The idea of “Crip Pedagogy” and inclusive teaching

• Intersection of queerness and disability in India

• The role of technology in empowering persons with vision impairment

• How academia can embrace diversity and disability as central, not peripheral
  

Timestamps

0:00 - Introduction

2:10 - Choosing Literature Over Commerce

5:15 - Losing Vision at 19

8:00 - Learning Braille and Mobility

11:30 - Building Confidence and Identity

13:05 - Disability in Academia

15:40 - What is “Crip” Thinking?

19:50 - Gender, Disability, and Inclusion

23:20 - Finding Space as a Queer, Blind Academic

Guest: Dr. Ishan Chakraborty, Professor of English, Jadavpur University

Eyeway Conversations brings real stories of people living with blindness and vision impairment—highlighting their journeys of education, employment, and empowerment.

If you know someone with vision impairment who needs support, call the Eyeway Helpline: 8800 00 4334

Visit:⁠ www.scorefoundation.org.in

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Zuhaib Khan, a young professional from Lucknow who lost his vision gradually due to Retinitis Pigmentosa.

Zuhaib opens up about how vision loss reshaped his life—his education, friendships, and career—and how he learned to navigate the world with resilience and purpose. From studying science and facing barriers in mainstream education to finding new direction through radio, technology, and advocacy, Zuhaib’s story is one of transformation and courage.

A passionate radio enthusiast, he shares how sound became his companion and how, for someone blind, radio holds a depth and intimacy that sighted listeners can never fully understand. Today, Zuhaib works to empower others with visual impairments, spreading awareness and confidence through his lived experience.

Tune in to hear his story of acceptance, growth, and the power of sound.

If you know someone with vision impairment who needs support, please share the Eyeway Helpline: 8800 00 4334 Visit: www.scorefoundation.org.in

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Pradeep Gangvar—a teacher, poet, musician, and social worker from Lucknow.

Pradeep’s story takes us from a small farming family in Bareilly to the ashrams of Vrindavan, the classrooms of Lucknow University, and into his life as a music teacher and social advocate. Along the way, he discovered poetry as his voice for social change, wrote on issues ranging from corruption to women’s empowerment, and became deeply involved in improving education and opportunities for the visually impaired in Uttar Pradesh.

In this heartfelt conversation, Pradeep shares how resilience, education, and creativity shaped his journey—and why he continues to see poetry and music as tools for social transformation.

Listen now to discover the man behind the poems and the melodies, and how he’s lighting the way for others.

If you know someone with vision impairment who needs support, please share the Eyeway Helpline: 8800 00 4334 Visit:⁠ www.scorefoundation.org.in⁠

Losing sight is not just a physical change—it’s an emotional journey.

Meet Pratishtha, Assistant Manager at SBI, who lost her vision completely at 26. From navigating the trauma of vision loss to challenging perceptions at her workplace, her story is one of resilience, acceptance, and strength.

Tune in to hear how she rebuilt her life while dealing with emotional barriers, societal attitudes, and the everyday challenges of blindness.

Listen to the full episode of Eyeway Rubaru now!If you know someone with vision impairment who needs support, call the Eyeway Helpline: 8800 00 4334

Visit: www.scorefoundation.org.in

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham is joined by Matthew Horspool, a blind professional from Coventry, United Kingdom. Blind since birth, Matthew opens up about his childhood, his education in special schools, and the challenges of stepping into mainstream spaces.

Today, he works across the UK supporting blind people in their workplaces, but that’s only part of his story. From navigating accessibility in banking and technology to pursuing his lifelong passion for music, Matthew’s journey is layered and full of surprising turns.

Tune in to discover how he built his path.

If you know someone with vision impairment who needs support, please share the Eyeway Helpline: 8800 00 4334 Visit: www.scorefoundation.org.in

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Nidheesh Philip, co-founder of Equibeing Foundation. Based in Bangalore, the non-profit works on five key pillars: sports, education, social perception change, livelihood, and research—focusing on persons with disabilities.

Nidheesh shares how Equibeing trains blind children in swimming for safety and endurance, builds digital literacy and communication skills across schools in Karnataka and Kerala, and explores livelihood training for young people with visual impairment. He also talks about their advocacy work, including a recent study on accessibility of banking services in Bangalore.

Beyond his professional role, Nidheesh opens up about growing up blind in Kerala, pursuing social work at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and navigating a government job before moving into the social sector.

If you know someone with vision impairment who needs help or guidance, share the Eyeway Helpline: 8800 00 4334 Visit: www.scorefoundation.org.in

Can you imagine working for 25 years in a field you love only to suddenly lose it all?

Anshu Jaiswal spent 25 years in the hospitality industry. A successful hotel professional, she lived a vibrant life filled with travel, food, and family. But when she lost her vision due to diabetic retinopathy, everything changed.

This is Eyeway Rubaru, where we talk to people who have experienced late blindness in their lives to understand their journeys.

Anshu didn’t stop. She started her own food business, and rebuilt joy with the help of family and friends.

Her story reminds us: losing sight doesn't mean losing direction.

Listen to the full episode now

If you know someone with vision impairment who needs help or guidance, share the Eyeway Helpline: 8800 00 4334Or visit: www.scorefoundation.org.in

Agustya Mehta is the Director of Hardware Engineering at Meta, leading a team that prototypes new hardware and software — from early mixed reality headsets to cutting-edge wearable devices. Among Meta’s most talked-about products is the Ray-Ban Meta Glasses, designed for the mainstream market but proving to be a game-changer for blind and low vision users.

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, Agustya shares:

• How the first prototype for AI-enabled smart glasses emerged from a Meta hackathon
  

• Why blind and low vision employees at Meta pushed for accessible features
  

• How AI in the glasses can read text, describe images, and identify objects
  

• The importance of mainstream design in reducing stigma around assistive tech
  

• What’s next for India: more language support, local partnerships, and affordability strategies
  

If you know someone with vision impairment who could benefit from accessible tech, share the Eyeway Helpline: 8800 00 4334 Visit: www.scorefoundation.org.in