Miranda Tomkinson, a 45-year-old lecturer, has defied all odds to achieve his dreams despite being born blind and experiencing hearing loss during his middle school days. He is a contract lecturer in the Department of Special Education at the National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities (NIEPMD), where he teaches diploma, B.Ed, and M.Ed courses to a majority of able-bodied students. Miranda’s story is one of sheer grit and determination, and his achievements were recently recognized at the 23rd edition of the CavinKare Ability Awards.
Miranda navigates the world with the help of special tools, including a “refreshable braille” device that helps him with text messages. He is independent and uses public transport to commute to work. Despite his disabilities, Miranda has pursued higher education, earning three postgraduate degrees and clearing the UGC NET exams in Sociology and Education. However, his journey has not been without challenges, including a protracted battle to get question papers in Braille for exams and facing isolation and social distancing during the pandemic years.
Miranda’s wife, Rexy Vinotha, has been a constant source of support, helping him to adopt new teaching methods and advocating for greater inclusion and awareness for individuals with deafblindness and multiple disabilities. Miranda has been using his blog, YouTube channel, and upcoming book to promote awareness and inclusion. He is currently working on a book featuring extraordinary persons with disabilities in India and hopes to become an author like Helen Keller.
The director and faculty at NIEPMD have been supporting Miranda, pushing for the implementation of the four percent reservation in government jobs for persons with disabilities, which could lead to Miranda getting a permanent job. Miranda’s colleagues praise his perseverance and resilience, emphasizing the importance of societal compassion and support for persons with multiple disabilities to grow and achieve their potential. Despite the challenges, Miranda remains determined and optimistic, inspiring others with his remarkable story.