Lighting the Way: Anchal Bhateja’s Journey Through Blindness to Legal Stardom
Anchal Bhateja's vision was lost shortly before her board examinations. She made the decision to pursue her goals and put in twice as much effort as her classmates to become a lawyer. Here's how screen readers and other digital inclusion tools helped her and others just like her navigate life.
The Power Of Courage is Unbeatable ~ Anchal Bhateja
(Source: Google Images )
When asked how she handled turning entirely blind while in school, Anchal Bhateja responded, "Once blindness takes over, it shatters your world and you don't know what to do, where to go, especially after the doctor says that they can't do anything at this point."
Anchal's Journey: Overcoming Visual Impairment and Embracing Digital Accessibility
Anchal was born with restricted vision, which gradually worsened until she lost her sight entirely just before her class ten board exams. Despite this setback, she forged her own path to continue her education. She sought out resources and utilized a scribe to assist her in studying and taking exams. During this challenging time, Anchal met Bhatinda, a blind individual from her village who used computers equipped with screen readers. Bhatinda taught her how to navigate digital accessibility devices, marking the beginning of her journey into the world of digital tools for the visually impaired.
Anchal successfully completed her education using audiobooks for her lessons and a scribe for her exams. Her story highlights the importance of digital accessibility, a cause championed globally on Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). Observed annually on the third Thursday in May, GAAD aims to raise awareness about digital accessibility for people with disabilities.
WebAIM, or "Web Accessibility in Mind," leads the efforts to promote digital accessibility. Through GAAD, impacted communities worldwide advocate for accessible digital technology, which is crucial for nearly a billion Persons with Disabilities (PwD) globally. Ensuring digital accessibility is not only a matter of civil rights but also essential for inclusive corporate practices.
Life after Her Cure ~
Visual Impairment no Impediment ~
(Source: Google Images)
“I had to figure it out all on my own. Most people, including my father, initially felt that I would not be able to continue my education. Despite my father being educated, he still didn’t know what was the way forward for me. I don’t blame them, that’s what any lay person feels about blindness,” she says.
Anchal, who was adamant about finishing her education, took the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) and became the first blind student to enroll in the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), located in Bengaluru. Every new graduate and their parents have been concerned about the impending entrance examinations as admissions season approaches. Each of us should be reminded by Anchal's story that this too shall pass. Despite all of the obstacles, Anchal graduated from law school in 2023 and is now employed as an attorney at one of the leading legal firms in India. Her tale doesn't, however, finish with her passing the CLAT exams. That was, in many respects, the beginning after all. Anchal used to utilize a scribe to help her write her exams in her first year of college until her professor of legal theory suggested that she type out her responses. Anchal was hesitant at first, but she brought her laptop to the test room and started entering her answers.
She finished it in three hours, which surprised her. After this, there was no turning back. Anchal continued taking all of her tests on her laptop, doing so without using a scribe. "I always finished my writing before the other students did, so I never needed the extra half an hour," Anchal beams. My friends make fun of the fact that I work in telecom, media, and technology law and that I live my whole life virtually. I use apps for everything—grocery, taxis, and everything else," she says. For many people with disabilities, independent life is now more feasible thanks to recent technological advancements and services, particularly app-based delivery and services.
Lack of Digital Infrastructure As A Major Challenge ~
The dilemma of inadequate internet accessibility and awareness persists. Over 95% of the home pages of the 10,00,000 most popular websites had accessibility problems, according to WEBAIM's most recent Web Accessibility Report. This implies that certain websites are still inaccessible even for people with disabilities who have the necessary resources and expertise. Their work is also affected by this. Anchal must use internet archives to obtain case rulings as part of her legal profession. Nevertheless, websites that are approved by the courts lack accessible features. Due to this, Anchal frequently needs assistance from someone else to use these websites. Apart from this, Anchal talks about how not even the IT personnel completely understand the functionality of a screen reader and how to integrate it with office applications. The path of Anchal highlights how important it is that people become conscious of accessibility.
Anchal’s journey underscores the vital role of digital accessibility in empowering individuals with disabilities. Her achievements remind us that with the right tools and support, overcoming even the most daunting challenges is possible. Her story inspires others to persist and strive for their goals, regardless of the obstacles they face.
