Mohammed Asif Iqbal

My name is Mohammed Asif Iqbal. I am a completely blind person who lost eyesight at the age of sixteen years old due to genetic disorder. Never the less, I did my primary and secondary education in the United States. I became the first visually impaired person to graduate from St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta in commerce. I later became the first visually impaired to be awarded PDGM (MBA, HR) certificate from symbiosis Center for Management & Human resource Development and became the fifth visually impaired Indian citizen to be a certified MBA. I am very fortunate to join PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) working as Principal consultant from May 2, 2005 onward. My work is mostly done through the help of talking software installed on my lap top computer and cell phone. In other words; what ever is on the computer screen display; it provides me with an audio output. I also was blessed with an opportunity to visit the former President of India, Dr. APJ Kalam, on August 23, 2004 and January 17, 2006 to discuss technology initiative which would benefit mass blind/ visually impaired community in India. . I also had an opportunity to meet chief minister, IT minister, tourism Minister and Social Welfare Minister to advice on measures to improve lives of disabled community in West Bengal. I was honored with state role model disability award by governor of West Bengal on December 3, 2007, proud recipient of national award constituted by President of India on December 3, 2008 and National institute of visually impaired 2011 Excellence award. I was recognized by former President of India, Dr. APJ Kalam, for outstanding role model disabled Indian citizen. . I delivered several presentation on role of technology upon invitations at infocom, an annual event organize by nasscom and businessworld group, Confederations of Indian Industries (CII), National HRD network, management institute and multi-national corporations. I was instrumental in initiating reservation quota for disabled at IIM’s and IIT’s. I am actively associated with Welfare society for the Blind (WSB) as Vice President which is dedicated to rehabilitate blind/ visually impaired to productive citizen of this country. I was instrumental in organizing seminar in collaboration with CII and national NHRDN on theme of employment opportunity for the visually challenge and this initiative resulted in placements in company such as wipro, IBM, etc. for six blind/ visually impaired trainees. My vis