MBA-turned-personality development trainer Md. Shakir, a visually-challenged person, has been a lodestar to many.
Even after a hectic session, he did not appear exhausted. And, with a never fading smile, he says, “The world respects only achievers.”
Mr. Shakir, became the first visually-challenged to finish MBA in Andhra Pradesh. He got into the Limca Book of Records in 2002 for transcribing the holy Quran in English Braille. “I presented the first copy to the then President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. He asked me to read out a few lines from it,” he said.
Mr. Shakir was in the city to address a workshop. Speaking to The Hindu , he said, “The self-confidence that grew as a result of my blindness is my Unique Selling Proposition (USP).”
The trainer relies on special software to read the books of his choice. His assistant scans the books, and the software reads out the content. “All you need is passion. Every problem is a challenge and an opportunity to excel in life,” he said, adding, “I am proud that so many people are taking inspiration from my life.”
After blindness totally affected his eyes, when glaucoma struck him at the age of five, Mr. Shakir overcame his disability and began to see the world through his mind. “I never cursed god or myself for the blindness. In fact, it helped in discovering the positivity hidden in negativity,” he said.
Mr. Shakir recalled that his father always wanted him to stand out of the crowd. “My father wished that I should be more successful than my elder brothers. And, I did it.”
Mr. Shakir addressed more than 500 workshops on personality development and memory techniques. He took a liking for personality after he started reading personality development books. “I noticed that many don’t read books. So, I began sharing what I have read. And, over a period of time it became my passion and profession.”
Mr. Shakir is a native of Tirupati and completed his graduation at SV Arts College before going on to do business management at SV University in 2001.
