Indian TrI-colour through the mind's eye

The Indian Tricolour is one of the most beautiful flags in the world. Each colour including that of Ashoka Chakra holds meaning and significance. But there are many people (Visually impaired) who aren't fortunate enough to witness and appreciate this pretty sight. They are deprived of the joy of fluttering colours.

To give such visually challenged children an idea of the national flag, MP Birla Cement has crafted a "Flag Without Colours". Made of cement, this flag brings out the colours and symbol of the flag through braille markings.

This Republic Day, the braille flag, cast in concrete, was carried to several blind schools across the country, allowing its students to partake in the celebrations of the 70th Anniversary of our Republic. Seva Mandir School, Indore, is one of the institutions that received the "Flag with(out) Colours". The other schools included Government Blind School, Kadam Kuan, Patna, Burdwan Blind Academy, Burdwan, St. Michael Blind School, Ranchi, All India Confederation of the Blind, Delhi, Institution of Blind, Delhi, and Raj Andhay Vidhyalaya, Allahabad.

Sandip Ranjan Ghose, Executive President, M P Birla Cement, said, "On this 70th Republic Day, the values embedded in our flag are relevant more than before. This is a small endeavour on our part to make the celebrations of Republic Day more inclusive and carry the message of national flag to a wider cross-section of our young citizens".

"Cement is usually seen as a very inanimate material and its role in nation building is not easily recognised. The philosophy of the MP Birla Group is 'Heart and Strength'. This is an expression of that core value, which guides our organisation. In the course of the year, we plan to take braille flag to many more institutions like Seva Mandir as our homage to the nation," he further added.

"Republic Day emphasises human rights and honours the freedom that national flag represents. This was just a humble attempt of including those who have been deprived of sight in a celebration that is rightfully theirs. I can only hope that the 'Readable Flag' will become as common a sight as the tricolour someday", said Sujoy Roy, Executive Creative Director,

Ogilvy Kolkata.