A bureaucrat and a teacher, both visually impaired, were felicitated with the Disha Samman 2021 at Bengal Club on Wednesday.
Kempahonnaiah, additional district magistrate of Paschim Medinipur, is the first visually impaired IAS officer posted in Bengal, said the event organiser.
Tarak Chandra, a blind school teacher at Madhyamgram in North 24-Parganas, has been making audio books for the blind.
Helen Keller Smriti Vidyamandir in Nadia’s Krishnagar got the award for its efforts to teach the visually impaired.
The award by Disha Eye Hospitals acknowledges the achievements of visually challenged people and organisations working for the benefit of the community.
Debashis Sen, managing director of Hidco, artist Shuvaprasanna and Tanmoy Roy Choudhury, additional commissioner of Kolkata police, presented the awards.
One held for Kalindi molestation
A part-time electrician with criminal antecedents has been arrested in connection with the molestation and assault of two women in Kalindi on September 25.
Samir Bardhan, 40, was picked up from near his house in Dum Dum, an officer of the Bidhannagar commissionerate said.
“Bardhan was among those who assaulted and molested the two women. They threatened to rape one of them,” the officer said.
He has been charged under various sections of the IPC, including 307 (attempt to murder) and 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty).
“Bardhan has at least 10 criminal cases against him. He has been arrested multiple times,” said Pravakar Adhikari, an officer of Lake Town police station.
