India Gets Its First Braille National Flag

12 million blind people in the country who were deprived of this symbol of national pride can now “see” the national flag through touch

Indian Tactile Braille Flag

The tricolours of the flag are depicted through different textures that enable one to appreciate the different colours. A raised chakra at the centre of the flag allows the blind to feel the Ashoka Chakra with its 24 spokes. The colours and features of the flag are explained in Braille alongside the flag.

India Book of Records recognizes the Indian Tactile Braille Flag as the First Indian Tactile Braille Flag for the visually challenged

http://www.indiabookofrecords.in/records-gallery/first-tactile-braille-flag-for-the-visually-challenged

Indian Tactile Braille Flag

The Braille flag is a fully tactile graphic made on copper with enameled paint accompanied with a user key that aide the blind in denoting the orientation, and colors of the flag. It permits a person who is non-sighted to fully see (via touch) the raised tricolor stripes, but the colors of the flag as well with the Braille guide adjacent.

Unveiling the Flag

India’s first tactile flag was unveiled by the Governor of Karnataka, India, His Excellency Shri. H. R. Bharadwaj at Rajbhavan (Governor's residence, Bangalore, India).

Championing the Flag

The flag conceptualized and created by Sankara Eye Care Institutions (SECI) India, in association with Sightsavers. Sankara Eye Care is an organisation working on a 80:20 ratio where 80 per cent of the beneficiaries are the rural poor who receive their treatment totally free and the balance 20 per cent are the rich and affluent who pay for the treatment, thereby cross subsiding the free eye care services.

Fun Trivia

India is the third country, after UK and the USA to have a tactile Braille flag.