Paleri Kunhiraman has been in the UAE for 41 years, a witness to its steady growth. Today, an eye ailment has robbed him of the chance to see the continuing changes, but he considers it a privilege to live in a country where his visual impairment is not a deterrent to leading a normal life.
Read the full story here: https://gulfnews.com/uae/people/i-am-blind-but-dubai-helps-me-see-1.96943967
See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos
Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km
Subscribe to Gulf News on YouTube and watch more of our videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/GulfNewsTV
#UAEnews #Dubai #Indian
Read the full story here: https://gulfnews.com/uae/people/i-am-blind-but-dubai-helps-me-see-1.96943967
See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos
Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km
Subscribe to Gulf News on YouTube and watch more of our videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/GulfNewsTV
#UAEnews #Dubai #Indian
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00I came to the UAE in 1982, October 27th, and then I moved to Dubai 1991, July.
00:28Since then I am here.
00:29I used to work for hotels, then I moved to a couple of other hotel-related fields, and
00:40then I ended up working for a resource center in the Holy Trinity Church.
00:52Maybe 2008-2009, that period, I realized that I have an issue in my eyes that doctors told
01:04me that field vision disability.
01:07That means sometimes I don't see things in front of me or next to me, and suddenly it
01:16appears.
01:17So I started hitting places.
01:19At that time I went to Hyderabad, L.V. Prasad Institute, and they did a test and they found
01:27out that I have retinitis pigmentosa.
01:35They said it's a genetical disorder.
01:40It did not reach the full stage.
01:42Once it reached the full stage, I may lose my vision.
01:45It was in 2009, and even they told me that there is no treatment for this.
01:522018, March, suddenly I realized that I can't read anymore.
02:01Then I went to the doctors and they told me that, yes, you have this RP and your vision
02:08may go down.
02:10When I started losing my vision, I recognized one thing that my hearing, my sense of smell
02:21become very strong.
02:25That made me do things easier.
02:28The gradual reduction in my vision, so I was able to take it.
02:34But there is one thing I can say that somehow I have that confidence that I can manage.
02:40Maybe because I trust God and I know that He will be able to take me along.
02:47That's made me strong.
02:48There were some issues initially, but now I can say I'm living a normal life.
02:55Another thing is I realized that some kind of power guides me.
03:00Sometimes even I myself wonder, how am I managing this?
03:03I may not see anything, but I can see I'm just, where I had to turn, I'm turning.
03:08Sometimes I surprise myself.
03:10Since I lost my vision almost like this, only once I went and hid somewhere.
03:18Otherwise, no.
03:19But before, when we started, like 2009, 10, that time, I used to have a lot of accidents.
03:34There is a shuttle service from here.
03:37I walk up to the gate.
03:40You might have noticed that gate.
03:41From there, the bus comes.
03:44So security helped me to take the bus, and there will be someone in the bus.
03:50They will recognize that I have some issues.
03:54They will make me sit, and when I reach one of the emirates, I will shout.
04:03Is there anyone going to the metro?
04:06And I need help.
04:09There will be many.
04:10They will hold my hand.
04:11I'll go to the metro.
04:13When I go to metro, I'll go to the RTA staff, and if I go and tell them that I need help,
04:22they are all out there, and they will arrange someone to come with me to the metro,
04:28and they will make me sit in the metro, and they will call my destination,
04:35and by the time I reach there, there will be someone waiting for me.
04:38They are so helpful.
04:39I have a couple of friends in Burdwa, so I go and spend some time with them,
04:44and I go to barber shop.
04:46One thing about Dubai, everywhere you get help.
04:55The city really, really takes care of you, no matter who you are.
05:03That's why I feel so safe.
05:06I never felt that I am disabled, and I will...
05:11There's no fear in me.
05:13I can just go.
05:14What a blessing it is to be in this blessed country.
05:21In these 41 years, I can say that this place made me a real human being.
05:26Recently, I was listening to an audio book.
05:30It's called The Power of Practicing Gratitude.
05:38That really, really helped me.
05:41Now, I can say I'm enjoying my life more than before.
05:45When I had this normal vision, I don't think anyone noticed me.
05:49Now, especially when I go to the metro,
05:54every station or every time, even in the metro,
06:00the inspectors come.
06:02When they check my...
06:05Oh, Mr. Palleri!
06:07That is so wonderful, because they recognize me.
06:10I take it as a privilege.
06:12So these little things make me to practice the gratitude to God
06:18and the people He put in front of me, especially this country.
06:23I think this is the only country that recognizes
06:29what God's blessing is and what it is for,
06:36and they are doing it.
06:39Because they recognize God blesses for only one reason,
06:45to be a blessing.
06:46I don't have any regret that I would have done better before,
06:50because I realized I've been doing
06:57whatever I'm able to do, I'm allowed to do, all these years.
07:03I didn't have any unusual or extraordinary vision or anything,
07:09but I was a simple, normal person.
07:13And I never had that, you know,
07:17I want to, you know, make that, make this,
07:21especially when you say material.
07:23People say that, you know,
07:25oh, you are here last 41 years.
07:27What have you made in your life?
07:30When you look through the world glass,
07:35I don't have anything.
07:37But there is another side.
07:42Because this place made me a real human being.
07:51It taught me very, I mean, most important three things
07:57in my life.
07:59Caring, compassionate, humility.
08:12♪♪
08:22♪♪