Art competition against blindness invites massive participation

New Delhi, Dec 13: As part of bringing awareness among children about blindness and countering the problem, Amrita Vidyalayam held a painting competition which saw massive participation from students across the country.

Among the 850 students who took part in the event organized here by the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness India (NSPB-India) in association with the school founded by globally renowned humanitarian icon Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, 18 were declared winners in three categories.

Renowned painter-organiser Bose Krishnamachari and art promoter Renu Modi gave away the NSPB-sponsored prizes last week based on decisions by a jury comprising international artists like Anoli Perera and eminent community ophthalmologists.

Mumbai-based Krishnamachari, who is president of the Kochi Biennale Foundation, said focus and perseverance are key to excellence in a chosen field. "If I can succeed coming from a small rural background, you too can," said the 51-year-old painter who comes from a village near Angamali in central Kerala.

Ms Modi said it was tough to choose the winners. "The entries were a fountainhead of creativity and ideas," she added.

As a not-for-profit society, NSPB is working for the cause of the world's visually challenged who total 63 million. Of these, 1.4 million are children. "They can get back the gift of sight by very simple procedures which an ophthalmologist can easily engage and accomplish," pointed out NSPB-India Secretary-General Shashi Kumar Nair.

The organisation is into advocacy and collaborates with several schools which work for alleviating blindness.

Amrita Vidyalayam runs on the spiritual leader's teachings that children should be allowed to evolve naturally and unforced in their formative years.