Reflections: The Role of Pragya Niketan in My Success

Reflections: The Role of Pragya Niketan in My Success

Dr. Shyam Dev Vishnoi Principal, Department of Education, Jodhpur Educational Qualifications: BA, B.Ed., MA in Sanskrit, MA in Political Science, NET, SET, PhD It is with great joy that I share my journey with you. Despite my blindness, I have been able to reach the position I hold today. Sometimes I think, if I had my sight, I might not have been able to reach where I am. However, I believe that my success has been largely possible because of the opportunities given to me by the institutions that have played an important role in shaping my life. One such institution that changed my life is Pragya Niketan. As a person with a disability, I can confidently say that we are not dependent on charity or pity. What we need are favorable environments that can give us the right opportunities to excel. Pragya Niketan has been one such institution for me. It gave me the support and resources I needed to push forward despite the challenges of blindness. As an alumnus of Pragya Niketan, and someone still connected to the institution, I can proudly say that every student who studied here has found a job after completing their education. In 2010, when I secured a teaching position, I was not alone in this success. Around 25 other students who had studied at Pragya Niketan also found jobs and moved forward in their careers. This trend continues even today, and many of my fellow students are now working in diverse fields such as railways, banking, education, and law. Some have even become advocates. My Journey from Darkness to Light Let me take you through my journey of overcoming adversity. I am Dr. Shyam Dev Vishnoi, and I currently serve as the Principal of the Education Department, Jodhpur. I was born in Chitalwana, Sanchore, a small town in Rajasthan. Everything was going smoothly in my life until I was diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age of 12. The tumor led to the loss of both my eyes, leaving me in complete darkness. This sudden and tragic change made me feel lost and hopeless. For a long time, I thought that my life had come to an end, and that I could never achieve anything again. The darkness, both literal and metaphorical, consumed me. However, everything changed when I learned that even blind individuals could pursue education. This realization was a turning point in my life. It was like a ray of hope shining through the darkness. It made me believe that I still had a future and that I could still work hard to achieve something meaningful. In 1994, I enrolled at the Blind Development Institute in Jodhpur, where I completed my schooling. Along with academics, I also received training in music, which became an important part of my life. This period marked the beginning of my journey toward self-empowerment. In 2002, I took another step in my educational journey by enrolling at Pragya Niketan.