The Tiruchi District Central Library and its Readers’ Forum observed Helen Keller Day by organising a special function for visually challenged persons on Saturday.

The global commemorative holiday (June 27) celebrates the life and achievements of the American author and disability rights advocate Helen Keller who lost her sight and hearing at a young age.

I. Abdul Jabbar, a visually challenged senior government school history teacher and coordinator of the library’s differently abled section, was conferred with the Helen Keller Award for his services to promote the institution’s initiatives for persons with disability.

Replying to the felicitation, Mr. Jabbar lauded the District Central Library officials for installing the free screen reader NVDA in the institution’s computers that had helped many visually challenged candidates to pursue higher education and prepare for competitive exams through an audio database of learning material.

He said at present, 75 visually challenged persons who studied with the help of the District Central Library in Tiruchi are working in government jobs. Visually challenged persons presented poems and songs as part of a cultural show.

Social activist and Readers’ Forum head Allirani Balaji and Grade 1 Librarian S. Dhanalakshmi spoke.