A Glimpse into Vijnanadeepam
Vijnanadeepam is a group of visually impaired individuals and volunteers working for the benefit of visually challenged people in Kerala, India. The focus of Vijnanadeepam is on converting all printed materials and information sources to audio format by reading them out. This comprehensive approach includes newspapers, magazines, books, textbooks, and competitive exam guides.
Maximizing the potential of social media platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp, the Vijnanadeepam community has been implementing various initiatives aimed at the comprehensive development of visually impaired individuals in all spheres of life.
Vijnanadeepam Audio Library
The Vijnanadeepam Audio Library, operating under the Vijnanadeepam group, is dedicated to converting printed books into audio books for visually challenged people. It is a community voluntary service where volunteers donate their voices to create audio clips for those who cannot read with their eyes. Currently, there are 900 visually challenged beneficiaries, and more than 400 volunteers involved with Vijnanadeepam.
Formation
The idea that blossomed in the mind of Rouf Manikoth, a young man from an inland village in Kasargod district, is now giving wings to the hopes of a community. Initially, he started a WhatsApp group called 'World of Light' with seven members, where they posted short stories and articles in audio format. However, due to the limitations of WhatsApp, it was not possible to send larger books in their entirety. Consequently, they transitioned to Telegram, another social media platform, to compile these small audio clips into complete books and form a library.
Current Status
Today, Vijnanadeepam is the largest audio/talking book library serving the visually impaired community in Kerala. Operating under the amendments made to the Indian Copyright Act of 2012, which allows for free, legally unobstructed recording of all types of books for the visually impaired without needing permission from publishers or authors, this initiative has recorded over five thousand audio books.