PUNE: At Fergusson College, one of the city’s oldest and most reputed institutions, students have joined hands to transform lives both within and outside the campus while setting an example in inclusivity. As part of the SAATHI Students’ Club, a student-led platform blending academics with community engagement, the SAATHI Centre has become a lifeline for students with disabilities wherein volunteers offer visually impaired students academic support ranging from acting as scribes during exams to assisting with assignments and helping students navigate administrative processes.
Rushikesh Waghmare, a visually impaired student from Nanded, shared, “Here, the atmosphere is so healthy. Coordinators help students with everything; even filling forms and making photocopies. It feels like a second family, which is why I took admission here. Before this I was at Modern College. At that time, I faced a lot of difficulties.” Waghmare has won over 150 gold medals in chess, swimming, athletics, and football while also excelling academically.
Waghmare’s isn’t the only success story to emerge from the SAATHI Centre. Pooja Kadam, now an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, recalled, “During Covid-19, volunteers held Zoom sessions, read out study material, and sent audio notes. Without them, I could not have cleared my exam.” Also among the centre’s illustrious alumni are Sanskruti More, now a government officer; Suraj Dhumal, a PNB employee; Laxmikant Parab, employed with the State Bank of India (SBI), para-swimmer Suyash Jadhav, gold medallist at the Asian Para Games; and Pranit Gupta, who cracked his CA Foundation exam with the help of SAATHI volunteers.
Current students echoed similar sentiments. Anvita Joshi, a Sociology student, shared, “Schooling was depressing and my classmates excluded me. But at Fergusson, SAATHI is my go-to place. I finally feel that my life is worth something.”
{{/usCountry}}Current students echoed similar sentiments. Anvita Joshi, a Sociology student, shared, “Schooling was depressing and my classmates excluded me. But at Fergusson, SAATHI is my go-to place. I finally feel that my life is worth something.”
{{/usCountry}}Visually impaired student, Bhumika Joshi, said, “Through models and tactile materials, we can feel and understand subjects like geography better.”
SAATHI runs several unique programmes such as ‘Let’s Record’ wherein audiobooks are created for visually impaired students to be able to access study material; ‘Braille Corner’ which is equipped with Braille books and computers; ‘Study Buddy & Study Circle’ wherein students are paired with volunteers for personalised academic support; ‘Connect the Dots’ wherein visually impaired students prepare notes in Braille and share them with peers (now available in both English and Marathi); ‘Innovators for Change’ wherein tactile maps and models are used to make abstract subjects like geography accessible; and ‘My English Buddy’ wherein language and communication skills are improved with volunteer support.
Volunteer Gayatri Barve said, “We don’t let them (the visually impaired) feel different. Everyone works at the same level, whether it’s academics, job fairs, or creative workshops.”
Volunteer Krushnpriya Yadav said, “In ‘Let’s Record’, we prepare audio chapters for students. It’s an international initiative with contributors beyond the campus.”
Another volunteer on condition of anonymity said, “Once, a student lost her scribe at the last minute for a railway exam. Within minutes, we arranged someone so that she did not miss it.”
Faculty coordinator Santosh Dhotre summed up the spirit saying, “My role is just to guide. The real work is done by the volunteers. Not everything is for money; we do some work simply for the satisfaction of it. Students feel safe, included and empowered here.”