1. An ongoing community services project of Rotary club of Madras Coromandel, Chennai, India Rotary club of Madras Coromandel, Chennai, India District 3230 Karna Vidya A project of Rotary Club of Madras Coromandel

2. Karna Vidya means learning through ears or hearing Karna Vidya means learning through ears or hearing –Visually challenged students have an enormous capacity to learn and accumulate information through their keen hearing capabilities –Started in 1999-2000, Karna Vidya runs reading centres in Chennai, Tamil Nadu to help visually challenged college students –Students belong to weaker sections of society –Reading Centre at Adyar for Boys and T. Nagar for Girls –More than 100 student registrations and 150 selfless volunteers every year –Library and computer centre at Adyar for the visually challenged –Runs with support of Volunteers, Anns and Rotractors Background Karna Vidya A project of Rotary Club of Madras Coromandel

3. Karna Vidya services include : Karna Vidya services include : –Reading Centres –Library –Computer Centre and Braille Printing –Cassette/CD Circulation –Recording, Dubbing & Digitisation –Books Circulation –Scribing Services –Escort Help –Drawing and Writing Services Karna Vidya A project of Rotary Club of Madras Coromandel

4. Reading Centre Reading Centre –Sessions on Wednesdays and Thursdays –4.00 pm to 6.00 pm –Adyar-Bharat School-Boys –T.Nagar- Sharada Vidyalaya-Girls –One Reader - One student –Students hear or take Braille notes –Snacks and Tea are provided to the students Library Library –Cassette/CD Circulation –Recording, Dubbing and Digitisation –Books Circulation –Scribing Services –Escort Help –Drawing and Writing Services Karna Vidya A project of Rotary Club of Madras Coromandel

5. Health Health –Comprehensive eye check at Rotary Rajan Eye Centre, T.Nagar –Three students were given eye transplant –Four students were operated for cataract –Some partially sighted were given spectacles –Regular check-ups are conducted Grants Grants –Fee grant for a few needy students, whose studies would otherwise be discontinued –Fee grant includes college fees, examination fees and admission fees Karna Vidya A project of Rotary Club of Madras Coromandel Services

6. Our Objectives Our Objectives –Reach out latest technology,high-tech aids and appliances developed worldwide to the doorstep of the visually challenged student –Train students in use of computers to enable them to earn their own livelihood and become bread earners for their own families and income tax payers for the country –Functional literacy in English and Computer Programming training Computer Centre Karna Vidya A project of Rotary Club of Madras Coromandel

7. Benefits Benefits –With specialised softwares, learning computers becomes simplified for a visually challenged user –Computer knowledge supplements educational qualifications –Helps in learning, as they can directly acquire knowledge and information from the internet –Knowing computers, is becoming essential to qualify for job placements Computer Centre Karna Vidya A project of Rotary Club of Madras Coromandel

8. Software Software –Jaws screen reading software can help the visually challenged work with almost all softwares –For instance: word, excel, powerpoint, internet explorer, outlook –Jaws can also help in software coding and writing programmes –Talking typing teacher helps in use of keyboard –Braille printer helps in taking print outs Hardware Hardware –Personal Computers,Scanners –Audio recording and dubbing –Braille printer –Internet connection Karna Vidya A project of Rotary Club of Madras Coromandel Computer Centre

9. Computer centre for Visually Challenged Dubbing Session Reading Sessions Karna Vidya A project of Rotary Club of Madras Coromandel

10. Accomplishments Accomplishments –Several students have completed graduation, post-graduation and few are pursuing Doctoral programmes –More than 100 students have become Government school teachers –Put together a support system of self less volunteers to assist the students at all times Our Thanks Our Thanks –Rotary Club of Madras Coramandel and its members who have borne the Lion’s share of funding for this project, –Other philanthropic individuals and organizations –IPP Rtn. R.Ravi has contributed place for the Library and computer centre,funded the purchase of softwares for the library. –O.S.Arun, a renowned singer and club member arranged several fund raiser programmes –Rotary club of Providenciales at Turks & Caicos Islands, British West Indies who donated US $ 5000 for the purchase of the Braille printer Key Accomplishments and Thanks Karna Vidya A project of Rotary Club of Madras Coromandel

11. Corpus Creation Corpus Creation –Karna Vidya is funded by the Rotary Club of Madras Coromandel Centennial Charitable trust and other philanthropists –Plan to build a corpus of INR 1.5 million in the Karna Vidya account –Earnings of the corpus will support operating expenses of Karna Vidya –Individual donors and other charitable organisations welcome to contribute –Trust funds tax exemption 80G is available –International Rotary clubs/rotarians are welcome to contribute What we are looking for Karna Vidya A project of Rotary Club of Madras Coromandel

12. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT ROTARY CLUB OF MADRAS COROMANDEL RTN G.Balasubrahmanyan RTN G.Balasubrahmanyan PRESIDENT 2011-2012 gbalasub98@hotmail.com RTN. R.Ravi DIRECTOR-INTERNATIONAL SERVICES 2011-2012 pfash@yahoo.com Website: www.rotarymadrascoromandel Karna Vidya A project of Rotary Club of Madras Coromandel

13. THANKS & GOOD WISHES FROM ROTARY CLUB OF MADRAS COROMANDEL CHENNAI, INDIA Karna Vidya A project of Rotary Club of Madras Coromandel