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= An Inspirational Personality- LABHUBHAI TAPUBHAI SONANI  =

===   ''There is a village Tarasamiya near Bhavnagar where a small family of Shri Tapubhai Sonani and Smt. Ajawaliben Sonani lived happily with three sons and a daughter. The third son named Labhu born on 15th March, 1967 had an impressive and handsome look. But see the destiny; nobody knew that catastrophe was unfolding on the family. This son became the victim of typhoid at the age about 4. The doctor had an opinion that perhaps the child will be no more with us. He said,” Take the child at home!” Thus life was no longer. Doctors raised their hands. Typhoid took the sight of the child. With a heavy heart parents took the child home. During the journey, the way the child heard the voice of banana sell bnanana….bnanana……The child wanted to eat the banana. The family as if they were fulfilling his last wish bought bananas and allowed child to consume it. The child ate two bananas and went to sleep. The eating of bananas continued at home in a village. To the  surprise of the entire child defeated typhoid and became healthy. Perhaps the new baby with visually challenged was born. But there was still pleasant mode in the family. This child was no one but Shri Labhubhai Sonani, Gandhiji of Visually Challenged.' === 'See the cruelty of destiny. Shri Labhubhai lost the canopy of his mother at the age of 5. In spite of getting discouraged he got admission in Shri Krushnkumarsinhji Andh Udhyog School, Bhavnagar at the age of 9 and began excellent educational career. During educational career at the school he developed leadership quality. His leadership character was evident and he was elected unopposed as general secretory for four years. He played active role in forming different committees organizing various extra- curricular activities and in discussing with the management committee about the problems faced by the blind students. He took his secondary education in Vishudhanand Vidhya Mandir of Bhavnagar. Shri Labhubhai begged gold medal in SSC in visually impaired. He completed his graduation in Bhavnagar University and got RCI recognized special B.Ed. with first class degree from Bhopal University. He also holds Visharad in music. What an excellent career! The first love of Shri Labhubhai Sonani is laws pertaining to Rehabilitation of the  disabled. He is all the time active and quick on the matter related to disabled community. Since last 3 decades he has been busy developing special educators- manpower for education on HI, VI, CP, MR and autistic children. This is not sufficient and all. He is fully devoted to diagnosis, treatment, training and rehabilitation of not only the blind but of the whole disabled community. This is only the brief history of Labhubhai’s noble deeds for the disabled society. In the year 2013, Labhubhai Sonani became victim of life- threatening meningitis disease. Almost half the body was paralyzed. The illness continued for more than six months. There wasn’t any hope to save him but perhaps the world of the disabled needed him a lot. He was fearless and continued his journey. Again he could succeed to defeat the meningitis. Perhaps God gifted him the new life to serve the blind and all types of disabled and proved it by doubling his sincere work to devote for the cause of the disabled. Father Tapubhai’s hereditary blessing for social services was his aspect and he  continued to work honestly in that direction. He became founder executive community  member of National Association for the Blind (NAB) in Shri ANdh Abhyuday Mandal. He took keen interest in fund  raising collecting activity and collected handsome amount. As a he result was appointed as the development officer in Shri Andh Abhyudaya Mandal in 1992. He enthusiastically used to guide visually challenged through communication with 600 to 700 beneficiaries. He provides the leadership in the annual function of the Andh Abhyudaya Mandal and distributed the  grain kit, medical kit, cloth kit and also scholarship to the poor needy students at the disabled. In the year 1995 he was elected as the secretory of NAB, Bhavnagar and regularly organized the employment camp, blindness troubleshooting camp, public awareness booth etc. In addition to this the celebration of Flag Day Week, Special training to the students for mobility, and training to the students for handicapped management etc. were organized  regularly. In such training more than 300 doctors were trained from Saurashtra zone. Besides this he provided oxygen to the blind teachers  association to organize the annual function in the year 2001. This was possible only by his assistance. Since the year 2001 the annual function of the blind teachers association has been organizing each year under the leadership of Shri Labhubhai Sonani. He proved himself the entrepreneur of the disabled by successful arrangement of the adventurous and co- curricular activities. As he was interested in adventures events, he enthusiastically took part in the field game like kho-kho, kabaddi, and cricket and Indoor game chess. With a view to encourage the hidden abilities of the blind, he successfully arranged the blind cricket tournament “GUJARAT CUP” at the state level in 1995. In addition to this he has been organizing many competitions and programs for the blind to avail the normal society of the blind’s ability periodically. Under Shri Labhubhai Sonani’s leadership a state level tournament KHEL MAHAKUMBH was organized in 2013. He is also the vice president of All Gujarat National Cricket Control Board. Once again he  organized chess tournaments in Talaja in 2001 and in Bhavnagar 2016 in which players with world level rating  “FIDE” participated. Not only that he successfully provided the leadership in organizing Gujarat Athletic Competition in the year 1999. The other eve some activities of Labhubhai are the blind state level Drama Competition in 1999 & 2005, poetry  read competition- 2001 and of course 15th days real adventuresome tour to north India  of the blind students Shri K.K. School & home for the blind. He is only the pioneer for obtaining the job to the blind as music teacher in the primary schools of the Gujarat. Since 2005 he has been leading Gujarat Apang Sanstha Sanchalak Sangh, an association of the institutes working for the disabled. In 2009 Shri Labhubhai made history by fighting for salaries of 1250 teachers in  integrated  education and getting the same form the government. When new inclusive education was introduced about 1000 teachers lest their jobs. Shri Labhubahi took the matter with CM Shri Narendrabhai Modi and Finance Minister Shri Saurabhbhai Patel in 2013 and the problem was solved after the long tiring struggle with the government. In addition to this lots of programs for adventures of  implementation of the disabled Act-1995 have been arranged under his leadership and the disabled world of Gujarat is the beneficiary. Because of blindness the blind qualified candidates were not appointed as teachers in the primary schools of the state by the government of Gujarat in the year 2011 and 2013 though they have been included in the merit list. An agitation he led in 2011 for 47 visually challenged merit included candidates for the appointment as vidya sahayak in the primary schools of Gujarat. As a result of his efforts 34 visually impaired blind candidates were  appointed as teachers in 2013. For this noble deed he is known as “Gandhiji of Viklang”. The visually impaired society will never forget this achievement. Finally, he used the most impressive medium of exhibition to attract the main stream world to physically challenged world, under different heart touching titles as under:- õ Chalo Nihalie Aankh Vinani Duniya õ Olvaya Andhara Ane Chamkya Sitara. õ Aankh Vinana Anokha Ajawala. õ Chalo Batavu Mari Aankh Vinani Jeevanyatra õ Divya Drashtina Kalasagarma Dubaki õ Pangri Pratibha Aangali ne Terve õ Aangalina Terve Dithi Duniya õ Bandh Aankhe, Pragatini Pankhe Religious Ceremony like “Shrimad Bhagavat Katha”, The celebration of educational and religious festival with normal society etc. are being personally interested by Shri Labhubhai Sonani. Under the leadership of CEO Shri L.T. Sonani Recently Shri Krushnkumarsinhji Blind School was awarded by Govt. of Gujarat  as the Best second school with successful rarity of 82.83 of the state won  Rs. 300,000 (Three lakhs) as a cash prize in addition to this Rs.100,000 (One lakhs) was awarded as the district level best school. This is the great achievements of his successful leadership. Ours is the only one special school of the whole state for this great honor. Because there was competitor with 11000 normal schools of the state. Also The schools result for Standard-10 S.S.C. board examination has been 100 % for the last 19 year. Similarly, the class 12 H.S.C. board result has also been 100 % for the class 5 consecutive year from the beginning. There was  a great succeed on his Guidance. Under his guidance, during the year 2017, distribution of Hearing Aid, Artificial foots, Wheelchair, tricycle and Blind Stick to 750 more to all disadvantaged people by arranging mega camps for handicap in the Palitana. Believing in the principle “The Man must not be known by the family where he was born but by the noble deeds he does” Shri Labhubhai is presently actively working as an executive officer of Shri K.K. School & Home for Blind. He is also the active president of Akhil  Gujarat Netrahin Jagrut Trust, Gujarat and Aandh Abhyudaya Trust-Bhavnagar. He is also honorary secretary of National Association for the Blind, Bhavnagar and proved himself true charioteer of not only the blind but also of the whole disabled world by providing his valuable guidance on whatever topic it may be felicities with following honor and awards:- Þ Best Placement Officer Award given by Govt. of Gujarat Labor & Employment department, Gandhinagar in 1997. Þ Best Social Worker Award given by Shri K.L Institute for the Deaf-Bhavnagar in 1998. Þ Best Social Activity Award given by Ankur Special School for Mentally Retarded Childern- Bhavnagar in 1999. Þ Best Blindness Prevention Work Award given by N.S.S. Unit of Shri M.N High School Mahuva In 1999. Þ Best Social Worker Award given by Rotary Club Bhavnagar Round Town, Bhavnagar in 2001. Þ Best Social Worker Award given by N.A.B.- Porbandar Branch, Porbandar in 2003. Þ Best Integration Program Development Award given by G.C.E.R.T. Gandhinagar- 2004. Þ “Pancham Smruti Award” for Best Work in Rehabilitation of Disablity Award given by N.D.Netrawala Charitable Trust- Bhavnagar- 2004. Þ Andhjan Karmveer Award givan by N.A.B.- Porbandar Branch, Porbandar in 2007. Þ Late Shri Bhikhabhai C. Shah Memorial Award given by N.A.B. State  Branch, Gujarat in 2007. Þ Letter of Honour  given by Lok Seva Trust and Andhjan Mandal- Ahemdabad in 2012. Þ Best Social Activity Award given by Aandh Abhyudaya Mandal- Bhavnagar in 2013. Þ Best Social Activity Award given by Aandh Apang Vikas Mandal- Mogri in 2014. Þ Best Social Activity Award given by Bhavnagar Nagrik Sarakari Bank Ltd. in 2015. Þ Best Social Activity Award given by  Bhavnagar Motor Sangh in 2015. Þ Appreciation Award given by JCI Bhavnagar Silvers in 2015. Þ Appreciation Award given by Shri Sant Shrey Education Trust, Bhavnagr for doing noble deeds for the blind receiving so many awards in 2016. Þ DR. Nilkhanthray Chhatripati Award by Andh Kalyan Kendra Ahmedabad on 8th January 2017. As Labhubhai’s nature is kind and brotherly, he can fulfill compilation with young ones as well as elderly People of any society. He is not only the best administrator but the knowledgeable person also. It is the opportunity to listen to him when he speaks on or shares his ideas on education, health and hygiene and so on. Shri Labhubhai has never lamented about his losing eyesight. He happily says that if  I had not lost my eyes, I would have been a diamond merchant or diamond polishing worker. Thus living in beautiful and inspirational personality, wealthy individuals usually surprised by converting Labhubhai’s blessing of nature’s fury into restorative, enthusiastic, and inspiring life. His life in Bhavnagar with his blind wife  Nilaben Sonani, who is a teacher honestly working more than the normal teacher proved the ideal of the disabled society. Just imagine how difficult it is to work more than the sighted teacher though being blind. Their daughter “Nishtha” is the eyes of this couple with whose co-operation Labhubhai & Nilaben are always active for the all-around development of the blind and the disabled. Really, Shri Labhubhai Sonani has miraculous vision though he has no actual eyes. He inspire not only the blind or disabled but normal ones also how to walk on the path of truth. Shri Labhubhai has also written a book “JIVAN NO DHABKAR - MARI SMARAN YATRA on his life struggle, which has been released on 23rd APR, 2017 at BHAVNAGAR. AS PER HIS LIFE BOOKS (JIVAN NO DHABKAR- MARI SMARAN YATRA) Written by : Gaurang MAKWANA (MO. 7211111281)'