PFB pays homage to Pahalgam victims; announces Braille Library in memory of Kashmiri Lal in Ferozepur
Ferozepur, April 28, 2025: The Punjab Unit of the Progressive Federation for the Blind (PFB) convened its quarterly executive body meeting at the Home for the Blind in Ferozepur, led by President Gopal Vishavkarma from Kapurthala. Senior Vice President Mohan Lal Saini (Malerkotla), Vice President Krishna Sharma, Iqbal Singh, Zuber Ahmed, Subhash Chander, and Amarjit Singh (all from Ludhiana) were among the attendees, alongside special invitees Mukesh Kumar and Kuldeep Sharma, and sighted members Navneet Setia and Harish Kumar.
General Secretary Anil Gupta steered the meeting, addressing various organizational matters. Initially, the members strongly condemned the recent terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which resulted in the tragic loss of 26 lives. A minute of silence was observed as a mark of respect for those who perished.
The financial accounts for the year 2024-25, presented by the Treasurer, received unanimous approval from the house.
Vice President Krishna Sharma was congratulated on the engagement of her granddaughter. Furthermore, Iqbal Singh, a teacher at the Blind School in Jamalpur, was felicitated for his book, Gurbani Gayan, which provides musical techniques for reciting Shabads. The PFB also resolved to posthumously confer two lifetime achievement awards upon the late Kashmiri Lal Sharma and Ram Avtar Sharma.
A significant decision made during the meeting was the establishment of a Braille Library at the Home for the Blind. This initiative will serve as a tribute to the late Kashmiri Lal, a retired teacher from the Education Department, who was highly regarded for his dedicated service to the visually impaired community. The executive members pledged financial support for this project, with Vice President Krishna Sharma, the wife of the late Kashmiri Lal, contributing ₹20,000. Committees have been formed with the goal of making the Braille Library operational by September of this year.
The executive body also voiced serious concerns regarding the insufficient infrastructure and staffing at the recently upgraded school, now offering education up to the Plus Two (12th standard) level. Despite official notification of the upgrade, students who have completed the 10th grade are being compelled to seek admission in other institutions. The Federation urgently appealed for immediate action to resolve this critical issue.