Visually challenged people across the country will no longer have to rely on radio or TV to catch up on national and international news. A fortnightly Hindi newspaper in Braille, Drishti (vision), will soon be available to more than 20,000 readers through 325 institutions working with the blind.

“There is no greater joy than reading whether you have sight or not. And this is a great way to empower and enlighten the blind through education and entertainment,” said K Ramakrishna, secretary general, National Association for the Blind (NAB).

The newspaper, which will be available on the first and third Monday of every month starting April, is the result of the joint effort between freelance journalist and theatre director Swagat Thorat, the Reliance Foundation run by Nita Ambani and NAB. Thorat is also the brain behind a Marathi newspaper in Braille Sparshdyan (knowledge through touch).