ISOC Mumbai - Vision for Accessible Internet: Bridging the Digital Divide for the Visually Impaired

8:45AM Apr 5, 2025

Speakers:

Keywords:

Accessible Internet

digital divide

visually impaired

internet shutdowns

digital literacy

assistive technology

inclusive education

policy reform

AI tools

digital inclusion

government guidelines

accessibility standards

community development

technology solutions

legal frameworks.

Digital divide

visually impaired

accessible internet

digital accessibility

Accessibility India Campaign

training programs

language barrier

regional languages

government initiatives

screen readers

emerging technology

inclusive design

disability rehabilitation

accessible transportation

digital inclusion.

Hello, can you hear me? Yes, okay, I see a couple of people joining So call.

One, okay, yeah, Guys, do We Start I

so I just had a woman, or one of the one of the panelists, is still, like near the vicinity, but like still stuck in the traffic, so we're waiting for her as well. There are so many people who are joining at this point. I'm so sorry.

Could you just brief the audience about this event? Yes, they've already joined, so we need to pay respect to them. Yes, of course, would you just talk a bit louder, louder here? Sure. Okay,

so thank you for those who've joined and welcome day to our ISOC India, Mumbai chapter event. This event is especially catering to the visually impaired and their challenges around the accessibility of internet. Okay, we have a group of panelists who will talk about the issue and discuss possible solutions. And then we will have a speaker who who is going to address further the topic further we going to have, we're going to introduce all the speakers in a few moments. And we hope that you have a good show ahead and this. So, yeah, it's it's about the it's about the visually impaired. So I don't think there will be any presentations, but it will be only audio. And we are pretty excited for this event, because a lot of people have worked hard to put this together. So yeah, see how the event commences. We'll have to wait a few moments for the speaker, just because she is stuck. So it'll be only a few minutes. So thank you for all the patience. And thank you those who have joined on time. And I, I can see a lot of people who are who are joining right now.

So yeah, thank you.

And have the other guest speakers already joined. Yeah.

Joined. Yes, they have joined their joint. We're just waiting for one more speaker.

Also happy to see many of my visually challenged friends during the meeting. So you know, if possible, if time allows, we could take their hands on problems.

Yes, yes, of course. And we have visually impaired people in the audience as well. So and we and such, we've made the event so that is feasible for them and access everything is accessible to them as well. So we especially invited them for this event, and they've been kind enough to actually come and grace the occasion, despite challenges, despite the fact that it is on the second floor, but they've come.

So can we just still? Since Nora is stuck up in traffic.

You can just not Nolan. Nora is here in the audience. I mean, in the on the venue, one of the speakers, who's who's also a panelist, or she's stuck,

yeah. Can you get started okay as and then she joins no kind of make everybody Wait, yeah,

sure, yeah, of course. No,

Hello, yes, hello. Just give us five minutes. Actually, we're having some intimate connectivity issues here, so Yeah, yeah, just give us five minutes. Thank You.

Hello, yeah, okay, yes,

yeah, yes, yeah, can you hear us? Yes? Okay, thank you. Thank you so much.

You may start Nora at any time. Thank you. Applause.

Bluetooth device is connected successfully. I

Okay. Normally, you may start. It's okay. If the speaker is yet to arrive, you can take them online, or you can take them as they come, because the others are waiting. That's okay.

Fine, okay, okay, All right. Thank you.

You in The Middle no

Hello, everyone. Can You hear me?

Yes, yes. Okay,

thank you all. So, as you know, very slow, very slow. So that's why itself is very needed here session a lot. So thank you so much for waiting, especially those who are online. I would like to give a warm welcome to everyone. So today's event is vision for Accessible Internet regime, the digital divide for visually impaired. So today's digital is a necessary leadership is a necessity. It's not a privilege. Accessibility remains

a barrier. So right now, just like to talk about what Internet governance crisis series is. So Internet governance crisis series is an initiative by disap India Muay that focuses on real world application of internet governance principles. So such, events, lectures, discussions are held such that we aim to connect policy theory with lived experiences and implementation. So especially India. Mumbai chapter is so isur India. Mumbai is one of the six active Internet Society chapters here in India. The Internet Society is a global cause driven organization governed by a diverse board of trustees that is dedicated to ensuring that internet space open, transparent and defined by you that is asked. It operates through more than one active chapters of a six continents and changes in unique local and regional perspectives on emerging internet issues being the only chapters in Western art. Country is of India. Mumbai aims to represent interest of users the western part of India. The vision of Islam India Mumbai is to improve the digital capabilities of individuals, not just in Mumbai, but all throughout the country itself. So the key focus areas of Islam India Mumbai are Jean dominance, internet and anti stakeholders emerging technologies that we add, Blockchain, ml and the evolving technology. So to promote the vision, the charter has organized and drive our close to more than 30 events and initiatives. Our members include folders, activists, educators, students and professionals, all provided by shared belief in the internet, transformative power. So today's panel discussion, there are four individuals. So one is Mr. Jindra. He's a founder of blinding trust, a very powerful advocate transforming personal changes into empowerment for girls. This Mr. Dylan, probably Jon skin. He's a planning officer of the nave state Resource Center on Disability affairs. He helps in bringing the policy expertise and grass roots insight. And we also have Mr. Agarwal, is a tech policy expert and from of the public policy with experience. He is also he has experience at ICANN and fruit and as well. And after that, we also have Mr. Amadou, the Google guy, also well known as the Google guide, whose app promotes reading and has reached over 7.5 million users. I would like to focus on the speed of the day as well. So we're honored to welcome Miss Barrack as well. So she is a lawyer and a founder of Krishna Foundation, working at the intersection of law, education and community development. So as we begin this session, let us remember accessibility is about more than infrastructure. It's about people. Thank you to all our panelists, our speaker and everyone who has joined, especially online, and the ones who are here today, we are all glad to hear what your insights are, and thank you for sharing your time. Let's move forward together towards a truly inclusive digital future. Thank you.

Okay, so now we'll be starting with the panel discussion. So I'm sure everyone is here. I just like to Yeah, so I would like to get this up, yes. So

answer, if you give a small introduction about yourself, who you are, basically.

Now, first of all, I would like to say that my English is so I request everyone that if there is anything you can ask me as well, because since my English is not so good, and I also would like to thank the Internet Society for organizing program, which it is the first time for me as a machine present in this way. And I also would like to thanks to all our panelists, like many other

so my name is Mr. Jean. I am the founder and managing director of blind resource organization and this organization we started from 2018 along with one of my mentorship he cited, and he's a biological engineer from MIT University, which is us, I think, and he's the one who

guided me from scratch,

what should I do? What is intention, intervention? He taught me, and he's also taught me about this type of technology like, I mean, he's the one. He really project our violence also. So currently that we in organization that we have two projects. One is that we have applied.

One is COVID,

which we need to build our internal systems and policies and to be more improvement for the organizations. And another one is we have the production that we need to produce a hand soap, which we want to make the our organization source of income and to make it sustainable, so that we can reach out and deliveries to all our community, or whatever the issues that for that

introduction. I would like to also ask Dylan, sir. I would just like to ask him to give his introduction.

My name is as mentioned. And I'm so privileged and honored to be part of

a very good panel here with this book. These are people that I have done

a bit of homework

see that you have a very are completely

social department. Come really have been focusing on bringing equality to persons with disabilities since the PWD act went and even to now, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act. And over the years, we have evolved with time and how to view and help persons with disabilities. So we are a manpower of 400 people in the state, right from the state level to the district level to the block. And over the years, we have brought different verticals. The one, the one main vertical that we have tried and has worked is the committee based rehabilitation vertical. The second is therapeutic, rehabilitation vertical, but we give different services, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, audiology and different therapeutic services through our centers. The third vertical that we have introduced very recently is the live vertical, where we have experts like certain departments, like departments like the prime startup is a part of the Entrepreneurship Center of SRC. And very recently, we have, through the help of prime, we have helped eight entrepreneurs of the East Coast district with the seed money for them to start and to better their entrepreneurship. And the fourth vertical that we have is the tech vertical, when we try to connect to different stakeholders in terms of accessible technology, and also, not only that, but also when it comes to the unique disability ID certification, so Nora, rural department to give out the UK, which is streamlined by the Ministry of Social Justice. So about myself, I definitely invite where we have this. Also reaching out we can go ahead and maybe have better interventions For the persons with visual impairment of the state.

Much small introduction you are. So there are too many voices that are coming on. Everybody in the zoom. Can you mute yourself? There are too many people who are not on mute. Thank

Yeah, let

me continue. Yeah. I

No, continue, yes, can you hear us? Yes,

I was just going to ask.

I like to ask if we can take a small introduction about I Awesome.

Hi, I'm audible. Yes. Did you introduce myself? Or is there a question as well?

Okay, perfect. Hi everyone. Thank you so much for joining. And my name is Yash. I apologize for the background noise outside somewhere at work, but I try to speak very clearly so. So I work for ICANN, the Internet Corporation for sign names. And you know I can, in a sense, is the steward of the internet space and number space, right? So it addresses Domain Name System, etc, right? I work as a global stakeholder engagement manager for South Asia. Before I can, I work for the public policy role, and before that, I used to work in the parliament. So that's about me. Thank you so much for having me.

Thank you so much, and also they should can give a small introduction

about yourself, Sure, thank you, also known as Bucha, and the only purpose of my life is to cultivate reading habit amongs the youth of India, because I firmly believe that if I'm not reading, I'm not changing, and if I'm not changing, I'm not growing. And because of this strong belief, I have a burning desire to cultivate the habit of reading amongst the youth of India. And I say reading, it's not just book in hand style of reading. Okay, we should embrace technology and make reading more inclusive that even people who are visually impaired can take advantage of the lacks of books which are out there in the world. So mission make India read is now the sole purpose of my life, and I'll not leave any stone unturned and fulfill my dream. It's my dream that one day India will be known as a nation of leaders on the world map. And I will make it happen. Come on. Thank you. Thanks.

One request, Nola could move the zoom mic closer to the speakers where you all three are sitting or standing, because we all are not able to hear you properly. So if you could just get the digital mic closer, because the mind that you have or the classroom right?

Is Okay. Before we start, I would just like to basically ask the question. JIT ra sir, I just like to ask, would you share with us how you use the internet in your daily life, how it impacts you, especially as a visually impaired person, and have you used any clues like screen readers or voice assistants that help you, and which one works the best? And that is what I would like to ask you.

Thank you so much. This is a very hard question for me also, and and then, as I have,

I have prepared

something which you allow me To read this.

Allow me this is the internet is latest crucial role to my life. It's helped me to carry out my office hours and access information for self learning and training, communication more easily, read content independently for person with disability

like The and

I also say that, like technology is the truly, truly the backbone that support our participants in everyday

activities. And

I use these screen readers that call non visual digital access and MVD, which we can get free of cost, which need to navigate digital platform while aware of other advanced screen details also like Job, Job Access with speech, I call jaws and But I am not, you know, I am unable to tell us exactly how it works and how it and, you know, due to the high cost, even though it's highly regards, so that Is why about the job? I mean, the jaws, I couldn't say this is a very expensive software.

However,

there are still challenges for the, you know, for the people with disability. For instance, when you when the Internet is, connection is is low, especially from the like for the on the website, who is highly traffic and the screen reader is often lack or due to do not function properly. This become even more difficult in the rural area like Easter use and West gender use, those who stay in the borders areas, there's a lot of my friends, which we have

these two schedules

of online meeting, but we never their internet. There is a very slow they never get to access it. In some village, they are not to get the internet. You know, there is many of our manners or stakeholders who live in the live like no more internet access and closely tied to electricity, no like, if they think like, if the electricity is, is God, then the also be there is no more, no more internet. Hello, so, so disruption, about severely, about this limits our mobility, like Google Maps when we used to navigate on the street. So this also is a very It makes us a very difficult and challenge because due to the due to the slow internet, then the map and the location also is not accurate. So one of the big, biggest huddles, capture. You know, this very platform is Robert verification. Capture is often inaccessible, and we would greatly benefit if all the online quarters can be more accessible and make good that included that kind of agriculture channel for will know that the numbers or capture it for the improvement so another, another improvement is access to job related information, like currently, job we will see is a notice are shared as the inaccessible in the past, I found most of them, it's not

reach out to the people disability,

and we are trying to ask them, but they said it's, it's a problem for them. They don't get this proper, like they don't really, it means don't really reach out to them, like us,

like

if you share the In accessibility, if such information can be shared through the through the formats like Google Forms. And I mean, you know that

will be because Google Forms will be more visible for us.

It begin where we can just submit from ourselves, the what stop means requirements, submit that was submitted or in the job that we can just Bring the Haq. I mean that

is So,

if we do 38 I feel

that it will really could

be extremely beneficial to have a single unified platform dedicated to the person with disability, where the where all relevant information, such as job vacancies, schemes, laws or grants are available for the people with disability, that it will be very good if we can do this aspect in the 20 internet so that is, I think when I just can say, if there is anything, then I do not anything, right, you just to help me.

Thank you so much, sir. So I would just like to again, add what science so one of the major issues that he's faced, like usually as a visual impaired person, use the internet for mobility. Firstly, he focuses on Google Maps. How that is one of the most important part of his life. Let's say he wants to go, let's say from one place to another place. So it gets difficult, especially here, is very low even today itself, our speech was just about 12 VPS. And when more people connected the same Wi Fi connection, then it reduces more. So this is one of the biggest issues as a person who cannot Whois vision faces. For example, once the internet speed trip, it increases, then even the screen readers also it will not be able to work as fast unless they buy the full version, which is also expensive. So moving on to the next to the next question I would just like to ask, yes, what role can the Internet Society play in bridging the gap between central policies and state level implementation, especially in underrepresented areas like technologies?

Hi, Nora. Thank you so much for the question. I'll keep it brief because, you know, I think so to answer this in terms of what role can say, something like an organization like ISOC play on bridging the gap between central policies, implementation,

the best person

if I to answer that about what I can certainly tell you is that, you know, a lot of institutions, including ISOC rights, with all the right in time we try and figure out, how best can we make the engine more accessible to people from all walks of life, especially those who are not privileged, or Maybe First Time Users, etc, something that I've observed in the last few years. Sometimes, you know, you get people online, but they don't stay online. It means they don't have the most productive engagement experience online, right? So it can be say, for example, you know, lack of content or services in their native language, for example. In fact, there's a reason why I can run ideas International, where you can have women names and, you know, other internet identifiers in non ASCI, non English languages. Anyway, that's a different thing. So, so that's an example. Similarly. The

other bit is that, you know,

if you set up, say like a workshop, right? Say, like a UK level Capacity Building Initiative, get more people online. That's a one off thing, right? Can we do things which are slightly more longer, right? Maybe it can be, you know, rural broadband access initiatives, right? That is slightly more long term, right? Or can we tie it up with other funding, or CSI initiative? Or, in fact, the government of India itself makes a lot of funds under different countries available right for different sort of initiatives. And is that something we can happen? Point being that far thing that really the government can do, that we, as civil society, somebody cannot matter scale and resources. But even as civil society, can we be slightly smart, and, you know, more longer term focus in terms of what do we set up and whatever the it is that we are working on industries. Does that sustain it once we have, in a sense, implemented and moves on to the Testing?

Hello, can you hear us? Yes,

hello, yes.

Thank you. Yes. For those insights, I would just like to move forward to the next question, which was in itself. So how? I just like to ask you, how can your team ensure that, for example? So I just wanted to ask you, like, how can, basically, the company of nikhaya can ensure that person with disabilities the machine bed are included, let's say presentations or positive formulations, especially pertaining to digital accessibility here

so when it comes to including persons with visual impairment or any other disability as for the act, our Chief Executive Officer is the state commissioner for personal disabilities, as per the act, again, and every state commissioner is to have an advisory team to help taking decisions, taking interventions forward, discussing and it is A, it is has been made mandatory that we, this advisory board, needs to have with a particular type. And right now, we have who is also personal vision as part of the advisory body to the state commission of personal disabilities. And we from the government, we have people who we go from time to time when we have a particular projection in place of modern day. Speak to you friends with disabilities. We look at that from the government's perspective, from the Office of the State Commission, but when you look at the src, da, we have a governing body, personal disabilities are always included in meetings.

When we have body person

disabilities are the nominated members, if not the executive members. So even it comes to policy for foreign relation or policy making or making

certain services ready before

we go for further intervention, we always regarding digital

accessibility. Okay?

When it comes to digital accessibility, we are compliant with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 16, as per section 42 we are to make government websites especially accessibility to be compliant with the different guidelines. So in on third December, the International Day of person disability is 150 honorable Prime Minister had actually inaugurated the accessible India campaign in 2015 with the help of the Office of the state commissioner for person disabilities in the month of August, 2016 we see, we have seen that they have been and 38 websites that have been made accessible for person disabilities, ranging from the person's vision and all these government websites. I'm not talking about the other websites, government websites that have been made accessible. So this is one of the things that we do. Even our website, there are things that, yes, we do lack. So when in those gray areas, different citizens with disabilities of the state where they can help in improving these interventions.

Thank you, sir, such a comprehensive answer. We it is amazing to see that the state is taking the necessary actions towards including the person with disabilities, assuming that, especially in presentation, but regarding policy population, we hope that this, this inclusive, basically, inclusion will be more especially in the future, because as we move towards digital age, and it's very much needed. So the next question I would ask Mr. Ashok, basically, given your reach and style of simplifying knowledge, what potential do you see in translating voice first platforms For the visual?

Yeah, thanks. Thanks. During

the introduction of this session, Nora, you said something so beautiful that inclusivity or activities, not just about infrastructure and technology, about people. And it is so true. I can, I can know, I repeat this treatment 100 times. So you know, I did not

app for the visually challenged. Never aware of it. That was sheer lack of passion.

And it's not that it's completely our fault. I have a question for not a non interpretive question for everybody. How many of you in your college days or school days had at least one visually challenged friend in your core group of friends? We have such bunch of friends at with whom we go to canteens. We bunk lectures and go to the different places. So how many of was there any visually impaired boy or girl in your core group of friends? Highly unlikely. So did I mean you add and always there was. There were a couple of boys and girls in my college, we all said, hi, bye. We shook hands with them, but they never became part of our core group of friendship. And so what happens is they create their own homogeneous groups of similar disability, and don't get exposed to sighted people like us, and so they create myopic, narrow mindedness because they have a limited group of friends, a circle of friends. So this is the main thing, you know, we should embrace them with open arms, and then we get to learn so many things from them. Fact, the movie Srikanth had a profound impact on my mindset that these people are not, not supposed to only make candles in the factories and are not our job is not only to help them cross the roads on the streets. It's, I think, our responsibility is must drawn back if Shri Khan can become successful entrepreneur, and I heard that he is now part of the Shark Tank investors, not Shark Tank contestant. Shri Khan, the guy this favor movie money. He is one of the investors in Shark Tank. I mean, I did not watch the people, but I heard it from my friend, so I think anything is possible. Of course, they need a lot of support from us initially, and then they are quite they work on autonomous more independently, having said that no people like us are, it is our responsibility to extend a helping hand to them. And then, as I gradually developed social entrepreneurship within me, I started making friends with challenge visually challenged people started affiliateing with NGOs, and then I started realizing their grass root problems. So there are simple change that I made in the app. Most of the audio apps, or voice first apps, they stream the voices, the audios only if you're online, okay, as a for a simple selfish reason that because they if it is offline, they can't run ads. Just know allowed the users, the readers or the listeners, listen to my book summaries even when you are in offline mode. And that was a game changer, especially for people during traveling, because during traveling, the network is irregular, and so you can play the audio even if the network is irregular and you need not be online, small change, and there's a huge impact on people like visually wi so I think there's a small so it's more about it's not about how modern technology we use. It's about putting compassion and empathy into it, I think, from their point of view, even if they form a minority group. So what? Yeah, they have all the right to benefit from the latest technologies. In fact, I had a friend called mine, and so he's helping me in my book adventure. I saw that many of the websites are not accessible, so we were trying, he was trying to copy an article from a website to His Word document. He was not able to do that because, because the main text of the article was not getting copied, box create Nora, except that everything was getting selected, the non important things, the date and the footnotes and the ads that are getting copied, but the main text was not getting COVID. So I think this is, of course, I do not name the service providers. It's just that we are not aware of it earlier we become aware of it. I think my eye open the movie, she can't open my eyes. And since then, I've changed my approach towards these people, thank you.

Yeah, over to you. Nora, yes now,

yes. Can

you hear me? Means,

yes, I was just like to thank amroot for such a heartfelt answer, especially his focus on empathy and basically the start of where, let's say, why we have not made, especially internet accessible, not just that, but accessibility in general, is because, from the start of me, we have not seen many individuals, especially from the, you know, from the machine or visually impaired. So that aspect is very it's a very fresh output from that that you introduced just now, especially when it comes to technology, we only think about the result. We never think about how it impacts an individual. So this, basically your answer, really makes us think a little bit more deeply. So I would just like to ask one question to Mr. Jitendra, one question I just like to ask. So one of the important issues that Internet Society South Mumbai forces on is the internet shutdowns. So I'd like to ask you, how has internet shut downs here in nikhaya have impacted you? And not just that, but what do you want to see? Like something that you want to see a change, especially because you don't just, they're not just you know, you've interacted with more than, more than hundreds of individuals who are also visually so I would like to ask your perspective on this number one international towns. How does it affect your life? How it has affected you, and what is the change you want to see here?

Thank you for the question. As a Vish person, I rely on the internet for maybe, I mean, like everyday aspect

of my daily life,

reading, document, accessing news

using

probably transport apps, Making making UBI payment and signing official documents using the digital signature certificate and many Disability the community, digital tools are essential for independence, when, when the internet shut down, we are, we are cut off like someone is close, as inside, we couldn't go anywhere, because, because we need to use dynamic, we need to navigate through the the Bah, again, this company, and in order to scan surrounding. Of course, there is the application, but without internet, it will work. So not just that they're from services and, you know,

but from our dignity and a family also. It's affects us, because, especially in this, what do they call this? In this time that most of the economies, or also is used like through UBI, this is really helps for the client people in order to like a business, the transaction, but if there's shut down, then that would definitely affect us also

in the next two, three years that I I hope to see stronger efforts in the digital inclusion and right awareness In the Gaia and maybe across the knowledge we need to to be informed of our entitlement, entitlements, and under the Under the right of person with disability, and we be empowered to use tools like, like the right to information and, You know, to address the gaps in accessible, accessibility,

I

wish also to to see the state of to

have all services and a lot accessible via screen readers and audio challenge or like I told you this problem, which we have a stable, inclusive Internet access across the region and promote right education and digital Literacy from person with disabilities, Safeguard privacy and strengthen online security. For us, the internet is not just convenience, it's visibility, mobility and equal opportunity. And that is how I I mean, I can say for hours, maybe there is a lot we have to do, not just that is there's a lot of thing, especially in the calendar, it is some lack of internet provider activities. If you are into the rural area, it's most most of the village they are. They don't have a best internet this is, I mean, it's affects our friends and our community who live in the rural area and they don't have when there is no internet lack access in their area, then they you know that we will have lack of information and don't know someone who has studied, For example, in the COVID, there is lot of misunderstanding in spite to, I mean, instead to give them the best information, due to the lack of the experience just telling someone, just someone who's telling them about any information, Whois harm, they were scared. So most of probably they used to call me last time perspective, and sometimes people used to say

it's used to affect them in

the rural

information, lack of the internet connection activities. So that's, I think, where, how, what I can share for this time. So, yeah, that is the thing. We need to be trained as the people with disability, and we need to, if there is any platform we can do that, we need to be changed by some where we can get the information, like I said,

one

platform, and maybe there's a lot of departments and src, they have own channel and borders. I don't they just keep it on SRC that everyone can reach up to, that you so just a suggestion, that is my suggestion that, yeah, thank you very much. Thank

you so much, Jean SIR for such very, very detailed answer, especially his focus on not just the internet shutdown issues, but also digital security, and basically making sure that all this as a state of my career, such that we go towards making internet more stable and inclusive, and not just here in an entirely modernist region. So that is a very especially the last line where you said that the internet is not just convenience, its visibility, mobility and equal opportunity that really bring it brings something in our hearts. It makes us speak. So thank you so much. Git with the very wonderful, detailed answer, and I'm sure through this event, we'll try to, you know, figure out something, at least, if not now also, we'll take the necessary steps towards making sure that these problems that you face, make sure that we reach to some form of solution.

So moving on,

I would like to ask you just one last question. So I just like to ask in a time where everything is online and as your mission is to make people eat more and but here, like not everyone can you can can see or can read. So what is the future of oral and audio storytelling to make sure that education is inclusive and such that, you know, digital education especially, can be more inclusive in the internet space. Yeah, I

think it's a very important question. So I've been working on this for almost nine years, and got lot of insights. And I'm in touch with the end users so much on daily basis, and I understand their grass root problems daily, day to day problems. Yes, chat, GPT, AI, tools. There are certain great things all should learn them. But I think technology, which we are already habitual to, are much important than the future technologies which you are not familiar with, especially people like people who are visually challenged, their learning curve is much sharper than you and I. In order to learn a new app, a new technology, they will take double the time to learn, in comparison to people like us. So having said that, I've observed is WhatsApp is the most underrated app. Ask everybody in this room, how many of you have Facebook? 50% will raise their hand fast. How many of you have Instagram? 80% will raise their hand to ask, how many of you have WhatsApp in your mobile? I'm very sure, 100% laser people raise their hand, right? And I think WhatsApp has got almost all the facilities which are accessible to the visually challenged many. I think all the visually challenged friends in my friend circle, they use whatsapp so beautifully. Is that better than me? Yeah. And so I decided to exploit WhatsApp not to reach out to everybody. And this is how I started sharing book summaries on WhatsApp. And then came the audio idea that was a game changer. And now the latest development coming to the artificial intelligence. There's a company called 11 labs. It's an American company called 11 labs, and many of the authors or publishers used to come to me and request me to record the books in my voice, the entire book. I record the summaries right? For booklet app which takes like 30 minutes, 45 minutes for me, because the summaries of 20 minutes, but recording an entire book will take me within a week, right? It is the very tedious job. It involves lot of effort. So I used to turn down the offers. It was not practically possible for me. Now 11 labs, there is an agency which approached me on behalf of 11 labs, and they cloned my voice, okay, using the AI tools. And that AI tool speaks exactly same like me, not just my voice, texture, the way I speak, my modulation, my mood, my laughter, yeah, my unique style of speaking, it has copied everything and flown exactly so, so well. So it is easy to convert the books into audio books using my voice, yeah, and we have already started. So I think this is a boon to convert any book, be it academic or non academic, to audio books. We do not depend on the expensive infrastructure of Braille. Converting books into Braille, really expensive, right? So it's a it's a hardware, I think, using AI tools like 11 Labs, which is, which is an open source tool. You all can go and check 11 labs, and you can also upload your voice and clone it. So these guys have done it professionally for me and spoke well. So this is the latest development. So I think no and the best, the third point I have to emphasize on is that there is a blessing in disguise for visually challenged problem is that Einstein, Albert Einstein beautifully said that don't simplify things. Make things as simple as possible. There's a difference which I did not understand initially. Make things as simple as possible, but don't simplify them. What does it mean by this education getting converted into audio fine, because your imagination is still on. In fact, if, if you listen to a Harry Potter story, who will have your own personal Harry Potter in your imagination, and if the same story gets converted into a drama, the video, our imagination shuts down and we surrender ourselves to the director's imagination, which is impossible for individually challenged, because the only alternative for him or her is to is to imagine, to visualize. I never converted my audio summaries into videos, because imagination is thinking, and thinking is imagination. Always think in pictures, you never think in words, you never think in any language. You always think in pictures. So I think audio or voice platforms, I think its own advantages. We think that videos are always better than audios. No, there is a big drawback on videos, hence, no, I stuck to audios, and we all should make use of 11 labs which has cracked one of the best AI platforms. Just crack the code for voices. Okay, in videos, the AI has not yet developed, still, it had amateur phase. But in voice, AI has gone way ahead of times. We should exploit that, especially for our visually challenged friends, yeah, Nora,

thank you for that wonderful answer. Now I think everyone please download that 11 labs app right now. Please.

Okay, so

this is a wonderful I'm very glad that you're introducing some technologies also that you know that we can use to make it Yes. Asked us. Now,

what did you ask? Yeah, is it free, the

apps, or we have to pay because most of the tools that I see a lot of myself?

Sorry, you. Yeah, the question is

free available?

Yeah, same like chat GPT, they give some lag characters for free, which is a huge number. So for personal use, it's as good as free. For corporates, it is, it is paid, yes, for personal use, it is as good as free because they give 10 lakh dress as free credit. So I using it for like, last six months, and I have still not exhausted my credit. So it's as good as free. You

How can I reach out to whom should I if I'm going to explore?

Yeah, it's very, very easy, very easy to you just go to 11 labs.com I'm not sure that they have an app. They have a website called 11 labs. 11 is in words, el e BA, 11 labs.com and very user friendly.

Thank you. Thank you for that. And we'll make sure that, in case, we'll make sure that we sit together with jinders when it comes to that we'll download it together and check it out together. Yes. So the last question of the day is going to go, basically, we wanted to ask you, what is your vision or when it comes to digital equity, universal access and basically rights based in country for person with disabilities, especially from the perspective of internet accessibility. So this is the last question today for this panel discussion.

Thank you. So, the vision of the day, sorry, the vision that the city has for, I think, looking at the Internet. So, so when,

when I

think we are in saying to when we say the year 2030 so when you look at 2013 it adds to 50. So 50 would be we're looking at because, as per the statistics of the census, to housing error the person with disabilities in the country. So when we look at the census phases of the state, it's around 44,000 so when we add 20 and 30, it comes to 50,000 that is the vision that we have, that if a vision is quantifiable, it's easy for us to make plans and policies to reach that number, right? So when it's 50k or 50 persons with disabilities on interventions, digital inclusion, and maybe just even giving a disability certificate or calling them to OPD or even giving them adaptive gain, the 50,000 person disabilities that we will try to reach out at the end of 30 would make our make sense with that being said, I would like to ask one later speak somehow. Okay, so in these lines, I because when it comes to giving talking about digital literacy awareness, this cannot be done by just, you know, maybe this is one of the very first platforms for the vision impaired. But even when we look at digital receipt for the person disabilities, we will need more awareness like what? Maybe we can work together through social media, through, YouTube channels. That is fine, but maybe we have 300 ground workers in the state, if possible, maybe some sort of awareness can be done at their own, grass levels, ground sequence circles, that way we can have more awareness with that being said, I, being a sighted person, will not know or experience what ajitla is doing when it comes to accessibility. If we have an experiential hub, for example, maybe a hub where we can showcase all these devices, anyone who's interested can come and see, okay, how do I feel if I am a visual impaired person? Maybe, you know, the choice application, or the mvda, all of things can be displayed there. So anyone who's interested, maybe it can be for free, or they can have an arm place, or Internet Society, which is one of the leading NGOs advocating focus on disabilities, they can go there and experience themselves. What are these devices? So I'm just throwing out ideas here because I understand that if we work together with Internet Society or other, for example, like there are a lot of things that we can venture on. 11 labs, for example, I do not care about that which can help us. The other thing is, maybe I see around India, especially now, we are following some footsteps of India. Maybe have an accessible tech hackathon. So with the hackathon, people come together. It can be online, it can be nationwide. People come together and try and build some effect that you know, can help not just the people around the globe. The fourth one I'd like to say is maybe a lot of government officials, tech partner. Technology partners do not have an idea much about

disability,

so maybe have a we can have a summit here. We can maybe call people experts and see how we can help our friends with disabilities. I think together we can work. We can never work in silos. Convergence is the key. In a small state, our resources are very limited. If we don't converge, we will not be able to go forward. But I feel that the 2030, reaching out to 50, 50,000 person disabilities in the state in the next four years is quite a target, but I think we can.

Thank you, sir. That was such an insightful answer, especially the experience labs. That is very especially And apart from that, even the accessible telephone, that's a very new idea that I think it has not been implemented, especially, I think across North East also, that has not been done before. So that is a very good suggestion, sir. And right now I would like to call Vinayak, so we'll move forward to the Q and A. So there are some questions that have been asked by one person registers on this event. So they have few questions. So yeah,

alright. So just to get back to

say,

looking back with The audience.

Somebody.

So I feel this interesting day once,

have so. Speaker, okay, alright, so my question, sir, and in a way, How committed is the Indian government, state government is in the effort to make the infrastructure of the internet more accessible, not only have more accessible How can

we target that?

That's a very tough question, in my capacity, um, my capacity, number one is again, awareness. When we talk about awareness in a state like our, even basic awareness of simple pension scheme takes a long time to reach to the last minute people living in we are privileged within places like shalom, where internet activity is it's not that fair, but it's there. But then when we look at other places in really remote areas, awareness is the key. Awareness can be only world. So when it comes to internet accessibility, I feel that maybe even simply, I think amrut said it very clearly we, I think we very downplay the power of WhatsApp, because everyone else has WhatsApp. It cannot be that no one has WhatsApp, except for a very few underprivileged but then maybe we can look at box as one of the key players to create awareness. It might be, for example, when we have visited Delhi last month,

we saw there was one

person who was immobile neck because of his traditional muscular dystrophy, but he had a gadget in his head that he can navigate a laptop, navigate a mobile for example. Why I'm saying that is because there are many people that we have in our database because of various reasons, accidents, genetic and other factors, and we found that if a person is immobile, lying there for the rest of his adult life in bed, it has a huge burden on his mental health. But with a device like that, he can actually start to advocate what's happening before, try to connect with people, try to share videos, share jokes. So that helps in his so when it comes to again, literacy, of digital literacy, again, I believe awareness, word about we can always try WhatsApp. WhatsApp always works. I believe whenever there's a network, you get the messages. So maybe websites is a big thing, because I feel people don't go to websites. So maybe so a few weeks ago, the Office of the Commissioner received a summary case to a personal disability, wants to have a single window for all the schemes in the state. So maybe we can think of a single window where person disabilities only do one website to access what Id Adha, concession, health insurance, adaptive aids, maybe things like that can work out. So again, again, awareness has to be created. It has to be

thank you so much for insightful work, sir. Because again, I feel there was a question which I was about to ask you. I said that because the one technology mentioned the person technology navigated nothing but the brain computer interface or something, what we call as a neuro computer learning pathway where technology so that we can our digital technology can understand that, and of course, I also think that the accessibility of concentrated resources and is something that we look forward to, because, again, a single window providing everything a person needs, not anyone who's been disabled, but also someone who responds to who wants to access it in A pinch. I think it's quite big. So yes, i

Alright, so moving on to question I would like to ask Yash from policy standpoint, as you been on the stakeholder management collaborator in ICANN suggestions along there.

So again,

we have the open actually your question is very able to answer that we can, like

recently is

basically bell curve. Catered towards and is basically shows the Constitution people who can access the internet or any kind of technology, from a day to day standpoint, where the edges of the bell are the ones who are specifically ones for special people, and one being the ones who require that technology for special needs for themselves. But we also know that if the technology has been built for one of the either next cases, the majority of the population who is in the bell of the curve adapt to the next cases. So do you feel that technology, which is Roman like how AI will be integrating in our

lives to

fulfill those sketch spaces so that the rest of the audience can follow those spaces in terms of how AI will be helping what is terms of I didn't

quite understand. So let me stick to one point looking at how AI can help persons with disabilities. So last week, we had a video call with a company called, think you so. The pressure in the country is our brother, on behalf of the persons with hearing when they go to any program. The program organizer does not think about people with hearing impairment coming to a program. So they do not arrange for a sign language interpreter. There is no live captioning by what we see in YouTube this company, think you actually did that in Delhi, when we saw, when we were Delhi, when the people who spoke in English, in Hindi and English, the live captioning actually happened. And that was kind of crazy, because I've never seen something other when in here in India, people sit and in the big screen, wherever this person is talking life. Captioning actually happens. So this person actually sees you, or that person is saying that is used to the eye. So this company called Think Lune, actually does that. The next step that they took was they're taking is to have an AI person, I mean, an AI model to actually integrate inside language as the person is talking. So I think with AI, we can go miles and miles for the person, disabilities, for example, for visual impair, maybe audio description to understand. Maybe image description can be done through AI, I think image descriptions, so I think we can always look to AI when it comes

to helping students

with disabilities.

And I would like to pass the road map to Nora.

Thank you so much, Jean, sir, thank you so much as well, and for this very insightful panel discussion, I'm sure everyone online have gotten some new ideas from this. People can work on this, especially students who are online. They can work on their project where, like it can be so many problem statements that were introduced today. So let's do something of this, and let's work on solutions coming out from this. Now, moving forward, I would like to, I would like to introduce one person. His name is, yes, I would like to introduce

Mr. Rajesh Tiwari. He is the ex Deputy Secretary of social welfare of the chat is very government. He has joined us online today. He is also the regional DSM officer of the recent ESG. You just give him a chance to express his opinion and experience, especially after this panel discussion, to Ask him to to please share his

website. Hello. I now,

yes, yeah, so

I'm Rajesh Tiwari, and I'm one member of ISOC in India, and previously I was deputy secretary, and I'm very comfortable what people are saying with the technology. The only thing which I'm little worried that how we once the technology is available, how we are going to take this technology to the people of grass root or the smaller state where we can really do the testing and we can get the feedback of visually disable person who can really understand that what exactly because the problem which we faced is that the maximum AI tools or Whatever software they are available only in English, and especially in North India, central India, the language is in the so that is the great difficulty people are facing to understand visa. There's a big challenge to translate the thing. So in this i

i think i do wi. Adrien, Yes,

Your Honor, that's why, whatever the technology, what we are discussing over here, the important thing which I could understand with the field, understanding that the maximum AI tools or the software available there, they cover maximum thing in English or other languages, but central India and East India and especially I

so I got caught again. Can

you repeat it again? Sir,

hear me, ma'am. Yes, yeah. So the My main worry that the technology, whatever level, especially the Google, this access, come and they work on the software the when I went to the field inspection, I could found that the maximum software which is available there either in English or in other language, and people do not understand the language, but what is coming? Because, again, that is American ascent. And also for that we have any, any, any solution for it, in, say, vix or made in India kind of a thing.

Thank you sir.

Thank you sir, for that, for that remarks, especially regarding accessibility when it comes to language, so especially converting all these into different languages exam, like Hindi, like in India, we have three major languages like so giving that aspect said is very important to focus and contact as well, because, like Jean, also, He started the session very strong with English, but yet he has done such a wonderful job today, especially so thank you sir for that, for your point, sir. Thank you, sir. So now I would like to call I think we've reached another part of the session, which is we'll hear the speaker of the day. So her name is so she is a lawyer by profession, but she is also an advocate. But besides that, she is also so many wonderful things. She is also, she also leads this Bucha Foundation, because she has helped so many students in Shillong, and she's a big she's a big advocate for especially for women, and she has worked a lot on community development here in Shillong, and she's already part of the blinding trust, like when I see she's like, she she knows about JIT, she knows about these issues as well. So I like to before I call on on stage, I would just like to ask Lakshman, and when I come on board, we Just delete from your time here. Thank you so

much. Thank you so much, sir. Thank you. Thank you so much for your interview. Thank you, and even tonight, please speak Yes. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you so much, sir, both of you have done a very general job for sharing your insight and Yash and also, and also Mr. Amadou. It has been a wonderful panel discussion. I'm sure everyone has has learned a lot from this Session, and now we'll move forward with the speaker today.

Good evening, everybody. My name is, and I would just like to clarify that I am not a member of the blind week trust, but I have been, I've had the honor of actually interacting with bah Jean. We have never met with this and as an honor to finally meet him here at this at the ISOC function, and I've had the privilege of Mr. Jean actually adding the, you know, the DLT social and from there, I have learned a lot about, you know, the difficulties faced by people you know, with visual impairment. So for that, I thank you so much. Baji paintra, and I'm absolutely honored to finally meet you here

today. So

like I said, I am so happy to be a part of the Internet Society India, Mumbai's program, which is vision for Accessible Internet, bridging the digital divide for the visually impaired. My topic today is, you know, I will briefly talk about internet shutdowns, accessibility and the rights of visually impaired persons. So previously, since the beginning of this program, I have heard about, you know, the different difficulties faced by people who are visually impaired. So in this agenda, the first part, I'll just briefly talk about digital accessibility, how the internet is, and then people of access. And I think this leads no further explanation, because all of you much better than me. And then I'll be talking about Internet shutdowns impact on visual and deaf persons. And my focus today is especially talk about the guidelines, which talks about internet shutdowns and the guidelines that the government has to follow. So generally, when we talk about internet shutdowns, the it is an absolute restriction on or a digital curfew, you know, that is imposed on internet services, and this is due to an order given by the government, generally under section 144, of the CRTC. So the world, in the world that we, you know, we live in a world where, in digital age, credit Indian has become a very essential part of our lives. And I've ensured that in this PBT, I follow the template that was provided to me by parola, which was provided by Baji binder. You know, as we know, enables access to education is so many resources, like Khan Academy, Coursera, and then when it comes to healthcare as well. You know, in today's world, we're able to access consultations with doctors from all over the world. In India, we can use, you know, by going to a website called propto and I myself, you know, since I had I was expecting during the pandemic, the only way I could consult with my doctor, who was in burka, was through PAC two. So you know, the internet has really helped us with that kind of access, and especially with social services specific participation. And as Mr. Git have explained, Google Maps has become a very essential aviator, especially for people with visual impairments. And we have also mentioned about, you know, about business endeavors, also how the internet is so important in enabling people who have business endeavors. You know, whether it is, you know, selling in Facebook marketplace or on Instagram. And there are many visually impaired people who actually have such businesses online and and when you have such businesses, you know, UPI payments become very essential. But what happens when there's an immediate shutdown without any, you know, prior fortification. It becomes, you know, the world becomes completely dark. You know, for people who face visual challenges, and it's like all the doors, you know, they're just closing in, and you are left in complete isolation from the world. Um. So you know, we've seen, we've had, especially for people with visual impairments, you have screen readers, Braille displays, voice to text. Use all text to access digital platforms. But like I said most, to just give you context, internet shutdowns. Sometimes they happen almost immediately, without any notification, with, sometimes, you know, with the reason that, oh, exams are coming up in order to curtail cheating. You know, internet shutdowns are imposed. This have been done in the state of Bihar, you know, earlier within these five within these five years, also, internet shutdowns have happened during protests and over concerns. You know, a lot on moral concerns. They've also occurred like as we see in Khalid during some unrest or tensions that happen, and you can see most of the data. You can get it from Internet Freedom Foundation. We have mentioned about these internet shutdowns that have happened. So Bajra have already explained about the impact of visually impaired persons, like losing access to tools, inability to navigate apps, inability to navigate, you know, to go from one place to another. So this, you know, it completely reaps Havoc when it comes to, you know, for people with visual impairments. So coming on to, you know what was so? What is the solution with respect to internet shutdowns, which happens also just by the stroke of a pen? I would like to tell you a story. Okay, so this is it is actually a case that happened in 2019 there was this reporter and in this team, and she's a journalist. At that time, she was reporting from jam and Kashmir, and almost immediately there were, there were issues, and the Internet got shut down, so she was unable to do her job. She was unable to do her job, to actually give live reports, and you know, so it affected her breath and butter. And at the same time, also, there was another minister by the AZ, and he wanted to meet with people in his constituency, but he was unable to because he could not send the message through WhatsApp. So what had happened was he filed a separate petition, and so did aradha. Has seen she filed a petition for the Supreme Court, stating that, you know, connectivity to the internet should be a fundamental right. It is a fundamental right, she says. And at the same time that, you know, it affected two things. One is, you know, the right to freedom of speech and expression and the likely freedom of press under Article 19, one sub clause A. And the other thing that it affected was, you know, her right to livelihood under Article 19, one sub clause G. So these are very similar points that you know, people who are visually aware might face during a complete shutdown of the internet. So in this case, the Supreme Court had given

an honor or

judgment that was in favor of Amara vasee. The Supreme Court had held that while Internet services can be suspended to save our public order. However, restrictions cannot be excessive and arbitrary. At the same time, it had also mentioned that, you know, that the government should publish internet shutdown orders online and on public domain. So these are something, you know, two very essential things. And according to this, the Supreme Court had established certain guidelines that must be followed where the government have to comply with but it is very sad that, as per research that was done by Internet Freedom Foundation, there were many states that did not comply with this guideline. And the reason being is that they were unaware. And our state, also being one was, you know, in the research done by IFF, they were completely unaware. That's why they did not apply these guidelines. So therefore, even not just amongst the masses, but even the,

you know, the people

who wield, you know, who are at the decision making table. They should be made aware that these guidelines are there in order to ensure that shutdowns are not done arbitrary, and, you know, just by the scope of a pen, but it must follow the guidelines that the Supreme Court has given under the you know, via the screen case. So let us look into these guidelines. So the first guideline is access to the internet and exercise of fundamental rights. So it was for the first time that the Supreme Court had decided that, you know, connectivity and access to the Internet is a fundamental right by expanding the meaning under Article 19 months of a loss area, which is the right to freedom of speech and expression. Because today, in the digital age, most of our expressions happen either on Facebook, on Twitter, sorry, x, or, you know, in various digital online platforms. So it's an absolutely, you know, it is within our right to be able to express ourselves online, and that these orders that the government gives, it should be, you know, given in advance, and it should be displayed in a in public domain. If it is not in public domain, then our people know about it, especially people with visual impairments, will be very difficult. You know, they have to shut down. The business will immediately get shut down the navigation you know, they will not have any navigation tools will have to be dependent on other people, so therefore, having prior notice and orders must be published in the public domain, which many states, you know, have not done because of their not being aware of these guidelines. And that the third point is that when these orders are given by the government, they should be reasoned orders. That means a reason should be given. Just to say that there is a section 144, CRPC situation is not enough, that does not give the public enough information of what is going on and why is not being shut down. So in this case, the Supreme Court had said that at least a detailed order should be given in order for people to have information regarding the same and the fourth thing is that they should be the rule of proportionality. And by the rule of proportionality means you cannot shut down the internet indefinitely. Okay, this has happened in certain regions of India, which, you know, I'm sure you are aware of. If the internet is shut down indefinitely for three months, four months, five months, then it compares people's right to livelihood. And, you know, is a big it is a big issue. And if this, you know, you cannot do things arbitrary just by saying all these. So let's shut down the internet. You know, there are many movements to keep the internet on. And you know, the rule of proportionality should be used, and it should not be done out of charity. And all number five, the you know, suspension should be done only. It should be temporary in nature. It cannot, like I said, it cannot be done for a very long period of time, since it becomes a detriment. And furthermore, the orders under section 144 CRP, they should state material facts as to why the internet is being shut down. So as you can see here, this case is very important, and I hope that there is more awareness that is being made with respect to this, especially in you know, government offices like What sir had explained before, we you cannot work in silence, but we have to work together. So at least with this information, you know, certain things can be done. So what can we do then? You know, we need to have a multi pronged approach. And as sir had mentioned, that in Meghalaya, there is an inclusive decision making, which is absolutely beautiful. I was actually going to point out respect for this person. You had clarified. I think this is amazing that it's happening in our home state. There should be more training and awareness of government and telecom authorities, technology

solutions,

policy reform, internet shutdown guidelines must include accessibility and discipline. Disability impact assessments I have never, ever seen you know, disability or accessibility impact assessment done on internet shutdowns. And I think this is something that is very important, that we must go back and learn from the past. What, what kind of international when were internet shutdowns done? Why were they done? How is it impacted the public, and especially people you know, who are visually impaired. In order for us to learn to do better, we have to learn from the past so we can make better solutions. And at the same time, I feel that there's a lot that we can learn from other places and jurisdictions, and in, at least in India, we have the rpwt Act 2016 which is, which is a good attempt, okay, although I'm sure that budgeted will have to be with respect to this act, where there's certain changes that need to be made or amended, but We have seen like in the UK, in their equality act, we have made sure we have unneeded access accessibility through legislation, just like how we have in India. And furthermore, there are efforts in Kerala, in the state of Kerala, which has we built blind, friendly digital libraries. And also to make, you know, transport more accessible for the visually impaired, because, like, as you see in most states in India, transportation can be very hectic and very you know, I mean, it can be very difficult to just get onto a bus or a taxi. So I feel at least with government initiatives, they can look into this to improve infrastructure for the visually impaired. I will not go further into the you know, the laws that are there in India, because I feel Bay Lin has explained and articulated on the rpwt act very well when it comes to access to digital technology, but nonetheless, just for information. So the legal frameworks that we have the rights of persons with disabilities. Act 2016 which mandates equal access to information and communication technologies we have, especially the grandfather, or the grandfather of all laws, which is the Constitution of India. You know, how will a person have the right to live with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution, which talks about the right to life, it is you know, it is only when we treat others you know, and others better and to have empathy For you know, people with certain visual impairments. So in our Constitution, also, we have article 21 which talks about the right to live with dignity. Is not enough to just live with, you know, with dignity, and that has been enshrined under the Constitution and with various case laws. And then furthermore, when it comes to legal frameworks and rights with respect to internet we have the temporary suspension of telecom services public emergency or public service groups,

which we

which talks about and order suspending Internet services indefinitely is impermissible under The Act. So we have all these legal frameworks, but it becomes a toothless legal weapon, okay, or Toothless solution if we do not implement them. So I think together, if we work together, anything is possible. We have the capacity all we need to all we need now is both, you know, administrative, political will and the public will together. So in conclusion, let us not forget that every time we shut down the internet, we shut up people's voices. We shut up, you know, access for people with visual impairments, which needs to be cut off people's anomaly, we do this turning digital progress, progress in digital privilege. Okay, we are all privileged people, but if we shut this down, it's like we are, you know, turning down digital progress for people with visual impairments, the right to connect is a human right. We must be it must be protected for all, including those who navigate the world without sight but with strength, resilience and the same first for opportunity, Keep the internet on and here,

thank you so much. Bah, for that beautiful for that beautiful

session, especially when you focus on the guidelines that was most of us don't know about them, and it's really nice that you have introduced us to these new things within the law itself. And I appreciate your efforts in this, and I would like to call

Lakshman

to facilitate this. Bah for Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you so much. So we reach the end of the session, and we would like to call our president no more week to give the thank you remarks for the day. And along with that, she'll be also asking several, several notary speakers for them in the online session to give you last remarks.

Yes, yes. Do you like to invite firstly, Mr. Charles Moore, to give a few learning words, yes,

hi. My name is Charles mark, and I am a member of the trustee of the Internet Society, so I'm very happy to today to join you in your webinar. There's a lot of great information and very a lot of, I sense, a lot of enthusiasm about doing something to help close the digital gap, or to help and support the visually impaired community and so on in India, particularly in Mumbai. So so I'm very grateful for the work of your chapter leadership and all your members and so on. So lap, I have to congratulate you on your chat, because this is a very active chapter and and the work that you have done particularly, I mean, with the example of today's session, is is tremendous. So I want to also say a quick word about accessibility as well. This is a matter that I think is very important to Internet Society, because in the last three years, we have been trying very hard, even for our own organization, to try to push forward setting up an accessibility guideline within our organization, it is not easy, even for ourselves, and we were very fortunate that we have a something called an ASG, the accessibility standing group, which is organized by a group of volunteers within ISOC, and they are, they have been, they have been doing a lot of great work in in setting up the guideline for ISOC itself, and also hopefully propagate the vision of adopting the standard and the guideline and the operation to, you know, other organizations and over the world. So we want to make sure that, I mean, the motto of ISOC, is internet for everyone. So we, so we, we know that accessibility, including with the visually impaired community and others, are going to be, you know, we cannot leave them out. So I don't want to go on forever, but I just sense a lot of positive energy about the use of technology from your group, which I think is very, very encouraging. There has been a lot of information that you have shared on technology usage, on standards, on legal aspect, personal experience and and so on. So I hope I will see a summary of all the of some of the key points from this session. Because I think if we can have that short summary or something that can be shared within your within the chapter, and also across different chapters, I think that would be very useful. And also, of course, sharing your sharing it with the accessibility standing group, I think they will appreciate it very much as well. So thank you again. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Mark. Thank you for the appreciation. We do have actually a rapid air for this event, so don't worry, I will share the report with you and everybody also talking about this accessibility group. We have Dr Ashutosh Patrick with us as well. So Mr. Patrick, would you like to say a few words?

Yeah, thank you. First of all, I It's great privilege to me to send me one from your sides, and I'm like to just all the organizing committee of this wonderful event is totally focus of the digital accessibility, especially to you and that one of the guy, nirola, okay, so you prepare continue for following me. And although we are also busy nowadays, we are going to organize a one mega event on behalf of the ISOC ASG in India. It is scheduled on the eighth, ninth and 10 December, NDMC Convocation Center, new day. It is an international event we are going to organize. We are going to provide the special training to the disabled people. Pwd people for the reader is program is suitable for eight and ninth of the up to 2025, and also one of two component is there. One is the hands on training for the how the content and how the digital components will develop so that it will make complete accessible to the internet, over internet. And the third one is the internet International Conference, which is totally focused on over the distress accessibility. So today, what people are discussed, it is also very fruitful to making internet if we accessible. The distur Divide continues to be a pressing issue nowadays, and for the visual impaired individual, they were getting the internet present unique challenge that many more not fully understand. So if you are thinking about the in context of the India, as per my experience, it was associated with the AIC that is the accessibility India campaign from 2017 onwards. It is a one of the campaign organized by government of India to make the all the thing in accessible mode. Either it's it is a digital device, either it is a building, either it is any components, okay, which is used inside the format. On the private sector, it may be complete accessible. So I was the part of the digital accessibility program of the AIC. And I was started to just visit the different states of the country. Mega is the one of the part of that activity. Also, I was visited in the mega also, at that time, the Honorable commissioner is also present there inside the meeting. What I feel during my tenure of this AIC event, people not ever about the accessibility, the displacement they are not ready to accept. Why I'm going to move our website or any district component which is more accessible, why it is required. So first of all, what I feel we can provide the training, and we can provide the one program for them why it is required. And then we start any kind of such kind of work, any activity. So we have organized a one and two international conference also at that time, and we have invited all the Nora officer across the government of India and across the all the states. And first of all, we sensitize to why it is important so and after that, we will start the work. What we will face during this implementation of the program, as the Mr. Rajesh Tiwari said, the language barrier is the one of the major cone make the all study device in terms of the accessible inside the country, okay? Because in my and some other languages also there in Gujarat, regional language, Gujarati Maharaj, Marathi is the one of the language, okay. So just asking why you people are not making the website in terms of the regional language as well. So we are also facing, ah, at present this problem, and on behalf of the Government of India, just I want to update to all, Government of India is already taking, already taken one initiative to make the one screen data device. The associate was one of the NGO is a totally making India program, okay, and where we get the all the regional language as well. Okay. Now, whatever the screen reader available, where one Gita, some international language is available. Language not available if you are thinking in terms of the India that is the original language device is also because or not who are disabled and who are visual impaired. Okay, so these are the, one of the major challenge to make the all the things, digital, accessible. So one of the key component already we have,

and so it will come

so that the one of the issue raised by the Raj ki Bay Ji, it will address by the government of India, and development community as well. The second challenge is what we faced, the people that, since they are not very much aware how the disturbed component make the accessible, okay, what is the parameter they will adopt so that whatever the development they are doing, it will make complete, digital accessible. Still what we feel organizations, they are only competent to do the study device in this time more, there is a huge requirement inside the even the India to make the oil adjusted device fully accessible. As of now, in a survey, we have received a monitor, even the in in terms of a government of India and all government website, more than 10,000 website, is active nowadays, and out of 10,000 website, only 2% website is accessible. So this is the biggest challenge in term in in terms of the displaces git front of the government of India and the civil state government as well. And only few developer are able to make all these stuff is the accessible. So what is the need of the present day? Provide the training to all the stakeholders in terms of the it is a government entity, either is a private entity, either is a development community, either is a another, whatever this mission so that they will understand how they will make the any component is the accessible. And lastly, I want to see definitely several emerging technology rise, and emerging technology available in and other other thing, and it will fight the several features where we can make the content and other thing in in form of the display accessible, but still the language barrier is there, okay? So when we are thinking in terms of, say, India, first of all, what I want to say addressed our community itself, and whatever the requirement we will receive about a community, on basis of that, we try to make the solutions in terms of the technology, in terms of the any kind of assistance they need. So this is my divisions for regarding this event. Thank you to all of and thanks to organizing committee inviting me.

Thank you, sir. Thank you so much. That's very insightful. And lastly, we have Miss Bridget just gonna say a few words.

Ma'am, you're on mute,

ma'am, you're on mute,

ma'am, you're on mute again. I Yes, you're fine. Oh yeah, you're fine. Oh no, you're on mute again.

Yeah, you can't Okay. Yeah, you go ahead now, I don't know, yes. Thank you so much. I feel privileged and honored to be part of this important day,

such a wonderful discussion, and it was truly such a knowledgeable and committed panel. This would like to thank organizers, and especially to Sir Ashi Tosh Pathak. He is the one who has recommended my name to madam Nupur. Usually, I was a bit scared of, you know, all these scams and all the message from Madam Nupur. I said, What is this? Said, I got a I was I got your number from Ashi to sir. Then suddenly, I call up Ashutosh. I just want to confirm whether he's really the one. Because, you know, nowadays, with all these kind of, you know, I can see as which is very scary, also so, but I was very happy when I came to do that. Sir Ashutosh still remember me and as recommended my name, you, madam. Thank you so much and for this great opportunity, and I to miss Nora, for kind support in briefing me and coordinating all the preparations and the entire SOC Mumbai chapter for initiating this wonderful event to join in initially, because I'm not from this field. I'm not a technical expert. I'm a deputy commissioner in the field of disability rehabilitation, but being in that office surely can issues relating with people with visually impairment. Today's focus on vision for accessibility, bridging the digital divide relates with section 42 of the rights of person with dismiss act of health and safety. We have heard from Madam, madam NYANG,

thank you. Miss Batavian for that wonderful presentation on the internet shut down accessibility and the rights of persons with visual impairment, being a deputy commissioner working in the Office of the Commissioner for persons with disabilities, I think this after this section is very, very important, and we are talking about inclusivity, inclusion of people with person with disabilities in the society, and talking about the rights of persons with disabilities. Just to inform you that state government of stick in initiatives regards to accessibility in buildings, where fort one buildings under the accessible India campaign phase 124, buildings and 17 buildings under the scheme of implementation of person as are Being made accessible to person with disabilities. Section 42 which deals with access to information and communication technology, both timely and critical. And I'm not a technical expert in this field, I strongly believe that digital technology, digital accessibility, must be prioritized, especially for the visually impaired.

Technology should able. I was very happy to hear from Jitendra and Jing, director of the mainly trust raising issues. I heard from Dylan Robin, planning officer of the state Resource Center on Disability affairs.

I'm very happy to be a part of this event, because hearing from them can take up forward these issues with the state government. Make a liar. We have some wonderful or some meaningful progress would really regarding accessibility to very glad ashito is here also in this program, because he's the one who came to our state and briefed on websites accessibility. Very thankful to you, sir, because under the accessible India campaign, you have taken the initiative to make 34 websites accessible to persons with disabilities. As all the accessibility features have been incorporated in 34 government websites, the state government, national informatics center Michaela has also taken the initiative to make 50 more government websites accessible to persons with disabilities. I feel really blessed today was, in fact, I wanted to attend personally. Then due to some important meeting that I had to attend to, I could not so but then I was able to be here since, since 220 so I was very happy to listen to each and every one of you, even though I'm not technical expert and the thing hearing all about internet issues. No, I feel, I think we should take up this matter very well. I mean, what to say, not to take up with the government, how to address these issues for people with for the benefit of people of visual impairment. So I just want to also tell you that we have taken up the accessibility in buildings, accessibility in website, and we are also moving with accessible transportation. So I hope that this step that the state government has taken improve not just access, but everyday commuting for many, internet accessibility is no longer optional, but I heard just now, the visually impaired, simple daily task like accessing government schemes or navigating Public Services has been supported by accessible design, including screen compatibility all text and profile navigation organizations like ISOC Mumbai chapter, we hope to bridge the gap between technology and I also want to acknowledge Mr. Jitendra decar, a passionate member of the blind leadership trust who has been advocating for accessibility from ATM ATMs with Braille signage rams to digital tools for the visually impaired. Hope. Mr. Chitl, we can meet and discuss. We can sit along with Mr. Robbie. Dylan, Robin, a planning officer from the state Assent on disability affairs, how to go forward bridging this gap. I also want to acknowledge all of you, all the panelists, such wonderful discussions, and which is really a commendable initiative, the quality of a panelist and the clarity of the speakers facilitation have truly set the tone for meaningful dialog. We are very fortunate to have the Ministry of Social Justice and justice and empowerment of person with disabilities, the different department of person with disabilities government of India, who has taken several initiatives for upliftment of people with disabilities, schemes, grants, Grant and a accessibility in business, ability, accessible, accessible transportation, submitting, coming up, and I hope this matter also we can take up with the Ministry after having discussions with all the constant authority i i As government servant. I may not have all the answers, but I remain committed to doing my best to listen act to ensure that Michaelia continues to move forward in inclusive and accessible future for all. Thank you. Thank you everyone. Thank you so much. Thank you so much, ma'am. That was very, very nice moving and we're glad that our session had such a positive effort to new you. Just to thank you all for joining us and enhancing our session. I would like to start by saying a special thanks in Nora for her exceptional leadership and dedication her work, and despite her health challenges, she worked really hard and we We also deeply appreciate blind lead trust for the unwavering advocacy and dor barn during and run Bah snong and Mr. Hara shindi For general see providing us the community hall and the hospitality We would also like to thank our Mr. Tender darker, Mr. Dylan Robbie Jon, Mr. Amra deshbak, Mr. Yash Agarwal and Mr. Miss bah doctor for for that powerful insights. Gratitude to Dr Ashok path, Haq, Mrs. Bridget Charles mock for their inspiring closing remarks. Thank you, Joly for managing the live streams. Like always, we are very, very grateful. And Valentine and our promotional events, Vinayak for your moderation and for you to come all the way to Shillong. That was very sweet of you. And thanks to Sudha for rapid hearing. Thanks to Prateek and nadita for their guidance, which is always invaluable. Thanks to each and every chapter of ISOC in a Mumbai, all the behind scenes efforts. And lastly, thank you to our fellow leaders and supporters, Lakshman RAM, Nathan Robin, and engage audience and commitment that can continue since inspire us in our mission for digital inclusion, there Are a lot more people who have worked in this event, if I, if I say their names, this will go on forever. But thank you, every person who has made this possible, and we couldn't have done it without you. And for the closing remarks that this is 2025, and we needed to talk about something that's important, which we all take for granted, but there's not. Thank you everyone, and with this, we conclude today's session. Thank you.

I would request everyone to turn on the camera. Guys. You