Bhavesh Patel, a well-groomed, articulate, 26-year-old visually impaired photographer, says he does not want to be defined by his blindness. Listing out his achievements, he mentions how elated he was when he got to shoot a soap commercial featuring actor Katrina Kaif. The main purpose behind it was to prove to people that a person with visual impairment could also do as well as any “normal” person.
“I remember visiting galleries with my uncle in Mumbai while growing up and wondering if I could ever do anything like that,” he says, adding that one day in the middle of his political science class, when he was pursuing second-year B.A. in 2010, an important announcement was made. “Partho Bhowmick walked in and started talking about his photography workshop for the blind, and I was hooked.”
Next up was a month-and-a-half of intense training in photography and ever since then Mr. Patel has been busy clicking photographs.
“I have a full-time job that engages me in developing software and I love it. I also feel great taking photographs, it is my favourite hobby.”
About the famous commercial that all his friends constantly ask him about, he says, “Everyone was nice to me and was patient during the shoot. I was also paid according to the industry standards. They are using the photographs, so it was actual work.”
