World Braille Day observed on 4 January 2017

4 January: World Braille Day

World Braille Day was observed across the world on 4 January 2017 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Louis Braille.

To celebrate the day, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), health institutions, policy makers across the world came together to raise awareness about the problems of visually impaired people.

To mark this occasion, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot distributed 270 smartphones and 40 daisy players to students with visual impairment.

The assistive devices were distributed under the Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP Scheme) of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan).

The minister also distributed scholarships cheques worth Rs 5 lakhs to each of 66 students with visual impairment under National Scholarship Scheme of National Federation of the Blind.

About Louis Braille

• Louis Braille was born in France on 4 January 1809.

• Braille became blind after an accident at the age of 3.

• He is credited with inventing the Braille script. The script helps the visually impaired people to read as well as write.

• The Braille language is based on the patterns of raised dots on paper.

• The dots could be felt and one can read anything that is unable to see.

• To commemorate his 200th birth anniversary in 2009, Indian government struck a 2-rupee coin.