Bibhishan Chandroji
An accident in school that led him to blindness and low vision did not deter Bibhishan B Chandroji from attending school, college and graduating with good marks. Currently working as attendant at IPHB (Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour) at Bambolim, Bibhishan has 40 per cent blindness in both eyes, and cannot see without + 14 high numbered spectacles. Accustomed to travelling daily for 2.5 hours from his home in Parsem-Pernem to his workplace at Bambolim by KTC bus, Bibhishan recalls how he met with the accident when he was a Class VI student.
“I was already having low vision in both my eyes, and after ink went accidently in my right eye while playing with friends, the eye lost total vision. I became blind in right eye, so parents rushed me to Goa Medical College Hospital immediately where I underwent surgery. But my luck was bad, and while surgery was on, the lens of my eye got shifted, and the surgeons could not fix it. So I was sent to Shankar Netralaya, where operation was done. Thereafter we did follow up checkups at GMC, but the eyesight was affected for life, and as one eye was not working, the pressure fell on the other eye and the vision of both became very low. My certificate says ‘blindness and low vision’, meaning one eye is blind and the other has low vision,” shares Bibhishan, 25.
Completing his SSC in 2016 from Parsem High School, he did his 12th at Kamleshwar Higher Secondary School in Korgao in 2018. Later he completed BCom from Vikas Parishad Mandrem College of Commerce, Economics and Management. “During my studies I used to complete my notes by taking my friends’ note books. My friends helped me. My teachers were good too, so I could complete my graduation in time. I loved chess and was top in my school and college. I liked to play all sports but because of my disability I could not give my 100 per cent. But strong will power helped me to overcome my challenges,” recalls Bibhishan.
Bibhishan’s family motivated him to seek higher education, though his father was in construction business, and mother a homemaker. “My father passed away in 2020 due to motor neuron disease. His hand got paralysed first, and then his shoulder stopped working. He survived for four years with continuous visits to GMC, and finally succumbed to his disease. I have an elder brother who works,” shares Bibhishan, who was lucky enough to get a government job as soon as he graduated.
“It was on December 31, 2021 that I was appointed as attendant in Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour, Bambolim at the age of 22. It is a 9 to 5 job. After I joined this job, I got a call from Directorate of Panchayats, stating that they have a MTS post where I can join. I had to inform them that I am already working at IPHB,” shares Bibhishan, who works in many departments including maintenance, OPD, MRD, ETC, ward, lab etc. This shift changes per year, and thus the person gets experience of working in all departments.
Bibhishan continued to nurture his hobby of playing chess. “I continued playing and practicing chess, and participated in chess competitions too. I won first place in All Goa State Level Civil Services Chess Tournament in “Persons with Disability’ category in 2024. There is nothing called ‘impossible’ in this world; if we focus on our present we will surely get success in our future,” asserts Bibhishan who proudly displays the cup he won in the chess contest.
A lover of sports, he also likes to play table tennis, cricket and football apart from chess. Destiny played a cruel joke with him when he was a little kid, but never blaming anyone for the accidental loss of vision, Bibhishan did not lose hope, and continued to shine in his career year after year. Today, he is happy that he could bring his life back on track, and be a role model for others who become accidental PwDs.
