Jyoti Lalwani keeps her morale high despite low vision
Despite undergoing multiple surgeries, two as an infant, Jyoti Lalwani has 40 percent vision. This does not stop the lively bank officer from enjoying her work and life
Aruna Raghuram
“My morale is very high. People can’t demotivate me easily,” says Jyoti Lalwani, 31, with a smile. This is probably why the bank officer has not been deterred by the 60 percent visual impairment she faces. The biggest challenge visually impaired people face today is lack of social acceptance and discrimination. She asks spiritedly: “Are we aliens?”
“There are three categories of people I have come across – those who feel sorry for me, those who are indifferent, and those who are understanding and empathetic. Unfortunately, the last category consists of very few people. I don’t like it when people think of me as a ‘bechari’ (someone to feel sorry for). That hurts my self-respect,” says Jyoti.
Jyoti belongs to Abu Road, Rajasthan. At the age of five months, her parents noticed that she would cry a great deal. A relative suggested it could be something to do with the eyes. Her parents did not approach an eye specialist initially. In 1993, medical facilities in Abu Road were poor. Later, her parents took her to an ophthalmologist in Ahmedabad. The doctor said she required cataract surgery in both eyes. He told Jyoti’s parents that they had come at the right time. If there had been further delay, she would have lost her vision completely.
Surgeries in infancy
As an infant, she had the cataract surgeries and has been using heavy spectacles since she was one year old. Later she developed glaucoma but surgeries for that condition proved unsuccessful. Currently, she has 40 percent vision and has to put drops to keep the eye pressure in check.
At school, Jyoti would manage though her mother would request the teachers that she be allowed to sit in the first row. She managed to write exams without the help of a writer. While she was good at studies, she did not take part in sports or cultural activities because of her visual impairment.
Jyoti’s father was a businessman who ran a transport company while her mother was a homemaker. When Jyoti was just 14 years old, she lost her father in a road accident. The tragedy was a big shock to the family. “We had no exposure to the outside world. We faced financial hardship in spite of some help from the extended family. After class 12 we moved to Ahmedabad.”
“I have a younger brother and sister. My mother started teaching in a school. I also gave tuitions to earn some money. I felt very bad that I could not help support my family adequately. I wanted to at least pay for my medicines,” says Jyoti.
Deterioration in vision
Till she completed graduation in B. Com, Jyoti was comfortable reading with spectacles. She was simultaneously studying to become a chartered accountant. She has completed two out of three levels of CA. She also did M. Com as an external student at Gujarat University.
She wrote the exam papers herself for M. Com, but she realised that her vision had deteriorated and had become blurry. She consulted a doctor who suggested she use a magnifier. “I need eight times magnification to read these days.”
“In 2016, when I could not clear my CA final exam due to vision problems, I accepted that I was a visually challenged person and there was nothing wrong with that. I realised that unless I accept myself others would not accept me. I started thinking positively. Now, if people ask me questions about my disability, I do not feel bad at all,” says Jyoti.
She obtained a disability certificate from Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad. She also sought technology that would help her. “I also learnt I could try for government jobs. That was when I was told to approach Blind People’s Association (BPA),” says Jyoti.
Ray of hope
BPA headquartered in Ahmedabad is one of the largest NGOs in the field of disability in the country. “BPA was a ray of hope for me. The support and motivation I have received from people at BPA has tremendously impacted my life. My mentor was Kinneri Desai Ma’am. I was taken aback to know that she had poorer vision than me – 20 percent. She was so capable and confident,” says Jyoti with awe.
When Jyoti appeal to her to help her get a job even if she could earn just Rs 5,000, her mentor told her: “Don’t waste your time trying for low-paying jobs. Give the bank probationary officer’s (PO) exam. You can get a job for Rs 50,000.”
Jyoti learnt a talking software called Non-Visual Desktop Application (NVDA) at BPA. A special tutor was provided for her to prepare for competitive exams. “I saw visually impaired individuals using smartphones at BPA. I was very moved and inspired,” she says.
Since April 2019, Jyoti has been an employee of Bank of Baroda. She is a credit officer at the moment. The going was not smooth at the bank. Initially, her superiors did not know what work to give her. “I sat idle for two months. When I used earphones to listen to talking software, people would think I was listening to music. I would feel bad and get angry. Later I realised it was their lack of awareness.”
Cooking and music
Jyoti enjoys cooking. She also plans to join vocal music classes. Her bank branch is 17 km from her home and she commutes by auto. She has never had a mobility problem but can’t see bus numbers easily.
On the personal front, Jyoti got married in February 2025 to Himanshu Panchal. “He is normally sighted. It was a love marriage. We met through a mutual friend,” she shares.
As for future plans, apart from upskilling herself with short-term online courses offered by the Indian Institute of Banking and Finance (IIBF), she is preparing for SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) and RBI (Reserve Bank of India) exams.
Meanwhile, her bank branch recognised her as employee of the month. She was also awarded by the National Association of the Blind (NAB), Gujarat, for her professional achievements last year.
What brings her greatest joy is the fact that she feels she has triumphed over her challenges. “Till I conquered my visual challenge, it was ruling my life,” says the gutsy young woman.
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