Standing in the cash counter of any retail outlet can be one of the most irritating experiences, for many of us, more so if you are in a long queue. It is not only stressful for the customer but far more challenging and stressful for the customer care executive to handle multiple and sometimes absurd queries from the unruly people in queue. But is it possible that you reach the cash counter after a long queue and feel energized and refreshed. A couple of days back I actually felt delighted and inspired when I met a young deaf and mute executive in one of the leading food chain, indicating me to place the order looking at the pictures. In a country of billion plus population and almost no regard to the dignity of labor, the scenarios like this are quite uncommon but encouraging nonetheless.
It inspired me so much that I thought of putting this blog online, right from that place but owing to time constraint it took another couple of days to make it online.
According to the latest World Bank Report on disabled persons in India, they comprise between 5 and 8 per cent of the Indian population (i.e. around 55 – 90 million individuals) and less than one percent of them are working in organized sector.
Discrimination occurs at many levels, and just like a person’s caste, creed, color and gender are not under their control, most of the times their physical and mental disabilities aren’t either.
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But to the disbelief of many readers, on several platforms, disabled people are far more productive than their normal counter parts. Let’s think of Autism, which is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and verbal and non-verbal communication. The prevalence of autism is about 1–2 per 1,000 people worldwide.
Excellent verbal/non-verbal communication and the ability to work in a team are considered most preferred and some time the key prerequisite marketable skill in the current job market and it keeps people with autism out of traditional employment avenues.
However, according to one report published in The Financial Times, Some people with autism, score very highly on intelligence tests and possess extraordinary powers of observation and concentration. These skills are important in tech professions like programming, testing, and QA. Recently a global IT major and service provider has recruited people with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome for software testing and statically found them to perform better than their normal counter parts.
If we carefully observe the animal kingdom other than human, one rule prevails the entire domain, ‘might is right’. While this rule is suitable for animals, we humans have evolved and transformed our own world with our faculty of reason. According to the ancient Indian mythology, Manav’s(Human) are descendants of Manu, and are expected to follow the code of dharma. They can discipline natural argues of sex and violence and tame the instinct to dominate the weak. Everyone is bounded by duty and this duty bridles desire. It helps in creating a space where even the weakest can thrieve.
As a matured and developed society we must ensure that disabilities should not be an obstacle, in the real world for anybody and like the global food chain and IT company, I wrote about, every stake holder should join hands in their own capacity to make this world a better place to live in.
Saraswathi Pulluru
Good story Manish. This is why, we always need family around who will not hesitate to give you the much bitter pill of reality whenever required.