20th Yudhvir Memorial Award
Dr. A. Saibaba Goud
For his outstanding service to the visually challenged. by Dr. Daggubati Purandeshwari, Minister for State, Human Resource Development (Higher Education), Govt. of India
Citation
There are two types of achievements in life. One is to improve one’s own material and financial circumstances; the other is to ameliorate the condition of others and to bring joy in the life of the less privileged, and those who suffer from some physical handicap.
Dr. A Saibaba Goud’s accomplishments belong to the second category. Having qualified as an ophthalmologist, he devoted himself to the service of the visually – challenged children. On retirement from government service in 1991, Dr. Goud took the bold initiative of setting up the Devnar Foundation for the Blind for providing free English – medium education and residential facilities for the visually challenged children from nursery to high school. Today it is the only English-medium school for the blind in the whole of Andhra Pradesh. Starting with four children, it has now 450 boys and girls in a three-storey building. The school is funded partly through a grant from the Government of India and partly by voluntary donations.
The children are taught various skills including computers. The school has its own Braille Printing Press which provides text books for the children of other schools also. The students of this school have won many laurels nationally and internationally. While some students have gone forth to pursue courses in Law and Chartered Accountancy, the most noteworthy is the admission of a student in MIT, Boston.
Dr. Goud’s achievements are not confined to the school. He was awarded a Ph.D degree by the Osmania University for his work in Community Ophthalmology in which he was also given an international award. His contributions have been acknowledged widely and he has been honoured with numerous national and international awards – including Dr. B.C Roy Award and Padma Shri. His name is also entered in the Limca Book of World Records for rendering the Bhagwad Gita into Braille for the first time.
In all his endeavours, his wife, Jyothi has been his worthy partner.
Dr. A. Saibaba Goud has by his crusade against blindness, promoted the ideals of the late Shri Yudhvir. In appreciation of his sustained noble work, the trustees of the Yudhvir Foundation have great pleasure in presenting to him the 20th Yudhvir Foundation Award. While doing so, they also wish him continuing good health and success in all his endeavours.
