સભ્ય:LABHUBHAI SONANI

આત્મબળથી સિદ્ધિનાં શિખરોસર કરવા સુધીની યાત્રા: જીવનનો ધબકાર

માત્ર ચાર વર્ષની ઉમરે જ ટાઈફોર્ડની બીમારીનાં કારણે ચક્ષુ ગુમાવનાર દિવ્યાંગલાભુભાઈ સોનાણીની યશગાથા એટલે ‘જીવનનો ધબકાર-મારી સ્મરણયાત્રા’ પ્રજ્ઞાચક્ષુઓના પ્રેરણામૂર્તિ- લાભુભાઈ સોનાણી

માત્ર ચાર વરસની નાની વયે પોતાની બંને આંખો અને પાંચ વર્ષની વયે તેની માને ગુમાવનાર લાભુભાઈનું જીવન અનેક સંઘર્ષોથી ભરપુર છે પોતે પ્રજ્ઞાચક્ષુ હોવા છતા તેઓએ તમામ સંજોગોને વશ કરી સિદ્ધિનાં શિખરો સર કર્યા છે. સામાન્ય સમાજને પ્રેરણા આપે તેવા આ પુસ્તકનાં કેટલાક અંશો પર નજર કરીએ તો, પિતાજીની કર્મનિષ્ઠા, પ્રામાણિકતા, અને માનવતાલક્ષી જીવનશૈલી એક પુત્રનાં જીવનમાં કેવા સંસ્કાર પૂરે છે તેની પ્રત્યેક્ષ પ્રસ્તુતિ આ સ્મરણયાત્રામાં થાય છે. આર્થિક ગરીબીમાં સૌને જીવાડતા પિતાજીની માનસિક સમૃદ્ધિ બીજી પેઢીમાં અદભુત રીતે સંક્રાંત થાય છે. જીવલેણ બીમારીઓ, કેટલાક લોકોના હતાશા પ્રેરક ઉદગારો, આર્થિક સંકડામણ અને કાળો અંધકાર! આવી સ્થિતિમાંથી લેખક પોતાના આત્મબળે નવી કેડી કંડારી હજારો દીવ્યંગોનાં પ્રેરણામૂર્તિ શું કામ છે તેની સાતત્યતા આ પુસ્કતમાં જોવા મળે છે. ઘરનો માનસિક વારસો, મક્કમ મનોબળ, કર્મનિષ્ઠા, અને પ્રામાણિકતા જીવનમાં શું મહત્વતા ધરાવે છે તે લેખકે આ પુસ્તક દ્વારા ખુબ જ રમુજી અને વાંચવા મજબુર કરે તેવા જીવનના પ્રસંગોથી દર્શાવ્યું છે. કામ સેવાનું એટલે કેટ-કેટલાં વ્યવધાનો અને પ્રશ્નાર્થો પણ આવે, પણ ક્યારેય લાભુભાઈએ પીછે હઠ કરી હોય તેવું ક્યારેય બન્યું નથી. ક્યારેક બીજા પાસેથી પૈસા ઉછીના લઈને પણ નીરાધાર અને શારીરિક ક્ષતિ ધરવતા વ્યક્તિઓ માટે ઝઝુમવું એ કંઈ સામાન્ય વાત નથી. દેખતો માણસ પણ થાકીને હારી જાય એવાં કામો કોઈ જ સ્વાર્થ વિના કરવાં-કરાવવાં એવી કર્મઠતા ઈશ્વરની કૃપા વિના મળવી અશક્ય છે. વળી આ રસ્તે કામ કરતા લાભુભાઈને હંમેશા સહકાર આપનાર પ્રજ્ઞાચક્ષુ પત્ની નીલાબેન અને દીકરી નિષ્ઠા પણ યશનાં સંપૂર્ણ અધિકારી છે.

જીવનની પા-પા પગલીથી શરુ કરીને એક પ્રતિષ્ઠિત સંસ્થાના સંચાલક બનવા સુધીની એમની યાત્રા કેવી રહી તેનો ચિતાર તેમણે હસતા મુખે આ લેખ્યો છે. વળી ક્યાંય-કોઈનેય ક્યારેય તેમણે ફરિયાદ નથી કરી. આવેલાં દુ:ખો અને ઘટેલી ઘટનાઓને તેઓ તેમના જીવનનું પ્રેરણાબળ ગણાવ્યું છે. દરેક બાબતોને વિધયાત્મક રીતે જોવાની આંતર-દૃષ્ટિ એમને ઈશ્વરે આપીને સર્વદૃષ્ટા કરી દીધા છે.

ખરેખર જીવનમાં વિપત્તિઓનું આગમન ઈશ્વર દ્વારા કોઈવાર આપણને સૌને જોડવા માટે થતું હોય છે તેની પ્રતીતિ આ પુસ્તક દ્વારા થાય છે પુસ્તકનાં અંતમાં તેઓએ પોતાનું વસીયતનામું પણ કરેલ છે જે યુવાનો અને તેઓ સાથે સંકાલાયેલા સૌએ અવશ્ય વાંચવું જોઈએ. આ પુસ્તક ખરા અર્થમાં ગીતા સંદેશથી ઓછી સાતત્યતા ધરાવતું નથી માટે સમાજનાં પ્રત્યેક વર્ગે આ પુસ્તક અવશ્ય વાંચવું જોઈએ અને લાભુભાઈનાં જીવન પ્રસંગોનો સારાંશ પોતાનાં જીવનમાં અવશ્ય ઉતારવો જોઈએ.

પુસ્તક પ્રાપ્તિ સ્થાન: શ્રી રાષ્ટ્રીય અંધજન મંડળ-ભાવનગર જિલ્લાશાખા,

સરનામું : અંધશાળા કેમ્પસ, નવા ફિલ્ટરની સામે, વિદ્યાનગર, ભાવનગર.

ફોન: ૦૨૭૮-૨૪૨૩૯૧૭ , કિંમત : રૂ.૧૦૦

લાભુભાઈ હાલ શ્રી કૃષ્ણકુમારસિંહજી અંધ ઉદ્યોગ શાળાનાં સંચલાક-સી.ઈ.ઓ. તરીકે રાષ્ટ્રીય અંધજન મંડળ ભાવનગર જિલ્લાશાખાનાં માનદ્ મંત્રી, અખિલ ગુજરાત નેત્રહીન જાગૃત ટ્રસ્ટ, અંધ અભ્યુદય મંડળ અને ગુજરાત અપંગ સંસ્થા સંચાલક સંઘનાં પ્રમુખ તેરીકે સરાહનીય સેવા પ્રવૃત્તિઓ કરી રહ્યા છે. જે બદલ તેઓને અનેક એવોર્ડો અને સંન્માનો પ્રાપ્ત થયા છે જે નીચે મુજબ છે.

- વર્ષ ૧૯૯૭માં શ્રમ અને રોજગાર વિભાગ-ગાંધીનગર દ્વારા શ્રેષ્ઠ નોકરી ભરણી અધિકારી એવોર્ડ

- વર્ષ ૨૦૦૭માં એન.એ.બી. રાજ્યશાખા દ્વારા સ્વ. શ્રી ભીખાભાઈ શાહ પારિતોષિક એવોર્ડ

- વર્ષ ૨૦૧૪માં અંધ અપંગ વિકાસ મંડળ-મોગરી દ્વારા શ્રેષ્ઠ સમાજસેવા બદલ એવોર્ડ

- વર્ષ ૨૦૧૫માં જિલ્લાના શ્રેષ્ઠ સમાજસેવક તરીકે ભાવનગર નાગરિક સહકારી બૅન્ક દ્વારા સન્માન

- વર્ષ ૨૦૧૭માં અંધ કલ્યાણ કેન્દ્ર-અમદાવાદ દ્વારા રાજ્યનો શ્રેષ્ઠ એવો ડૉ.નીલકંઠરાય છત્રપતિ એવોર્ડ

- જી.સી.ઈ.આર.ટી.-ગાંધીનગર દ્વારા બેસ્ટ ઈન્ટીગ્રૅટેડ પ્રોગ્રામ ડેવલોપમૅન્ટ અવોર્ડ

- રોટરી ક્લબ રાઉન્ડ ટાઉન – ભાવનગર દ્વારા શ્રેષ્ઠ સમાજસેવક તરીકેનો એવોર્ડ

- રાષ્ટ્રીય સેવા યુનિટ-મહુવા દ્વારા અંધત્વ નિવારણ ક્ષેત્રે શ્રેષ્ઠકાર્યનો એવોર્ડ

- એન.એ.બી. પોરબંદર દ્વારા અંધજન કર્મવીર એવોર્ડ

હાલ તેઓના માર્ગ દર્શન હેઠળ ચાલતી શ્રી કૃષ્ણકુમારસિંહજી અંધ ઉદ્યોગ શાળાને વર્ષ ૨૦૧૬-૧૭ માટે રાજ્યની દ્વિતીય શ્રેષ્ઠ સંસ્થા તરીકે ગુજરાત સરકાર દ્વારા પસંગી કરવામાં આવેલ છે. આ શાળાનું ધોરણ-૧૦નું પરિણામ છેલ્લા ૧૯ વર્ષ થી અને ધોરણ-૧૨નું પરિણામ તેના શરૂઆત કાળથી જ ૧૦૦ % આવી રહ્યું છે.

આ ઉપરાંત લાભુભાઈને ઘણા બધા નાના-મોટા એવોર્ડ અને સન્માનપત્રોથી રાજ્યની અનેક સામાજિક સંસ્થાઓ દ્વારા સંમાનિત કરવામાં આવ્યા છે.

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)