Leisure and Social Justice Implications: A Case Study of Moran Blind School(Residential), Dibrugarh, Assam, India

Visual impaired people have lot of struggles for their survival and to gain equal access to leisure. They face several challenges. Cultural attitudes also impede opportunities for leisure participation as discriminatory views exist in many societies. This paper will highlight the leisure activities and social justice implications in a residential blind school in Dibrugarh, Assam, India.

Students of residential Moran Blind School, Dibrugarh,Assam, India has also encountered obstacles in their day to day life as well as in conducting leisure activities. But with the concerted advocacy efforts taken by teachers, administrator, Principal and the staff of the school, they are empowered and have improved accessibility. Altogether they have fifty-five (55) blind students studying in classes from 1 to 10; among them thirty-five (35) are boys and twenty (20) are girls mainly from adjacent districts like Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Charaideo, Sibsagar and so on, fifteen (15) teachers (five are blind), administrator, Principal, hostel wardens, matron and other staff. Majority, that is, ninety-nine (99) per cent of the students are sons and daughters of tea garden labourers who are from poor socio-economic background.

Their major leisure activities are listing to songs, playing the flute, tabla, guitar, harmonium and other musical instruments. Singing, listening to radio and TV, gossiping, reading and writing by Braille, using Internet, playing Ludo and Chess suitable for blind players, playing football and cricket with auditory balls, playing Kabaddi, Hide and Seek game, skipping, making crafts with bamboo items, pottery, weaving etc. during their free time. Reading and writing by Braille, Internet. All these have helped them for their psychomotor, socio-emotional development and psychological wellbeing.