Chandigarh & Punjab State Branch
NAB Institute for the Blind and an Eye Care Centre
Chandigarh & Punjab State Branch
NAB Institute for the Blind and an Eye Care Centre
AICFB North Zone Chess Championship for the Visually Challenged 2025
Held from July 10–13 at the Sports Complex, Sector 39, Chandigarh, this incredible event brought together 80 talented visually impaired chess players from across North India.
Organized by NAB Chandigarh with All India Chess Federation for the Blind (AICFB), Sports Department, Chandigarh & Federal Bank Ltd., the championship celebrated inclusivity and sporting spirit of visually impaired.
Congratulations to Somendra, the North Zone Champion, 2025 and 2023 Asian Para Games bronze medalist, along with Satya Parkash Shrivastava & Mayank Sharma, the 1st and 2nd runners-ups! The top 7 players now advance to the National Chess Championship, and rising young stars will head to the Junior Nationals.
This event is a powerful reminder: Disability is not inability.
We’re grateful to Caring Hands for Children for their generous support in providing regular periodic scholarships to our children with special needs. Your kindness is empowering persons with disabilities (PwDs) to chase their academic aspirations and build a brighter future. Thank you for believing in our mission and making a difference in the lives of our students!
National Association for the Blind (NAB) Chandigarh and Punjab, proudly announces the launch of a Mobile Eye Clinic Van dedicated to providing free eye care services to underprivileged and marginalized communities. The Mobile Eye Clinic Van, generously donated by Rotary International with matching grants of Rotary Clubs, is equipped with state-of-the-art ophthalmic equipment designed to deliver comprehensive eye care services, in Schools, Villages, Colonies and Rural areas where access to medical facilities is limited.
The prestigious flag-off ceremony was held on March 20th at the Punjab Raj Bhavan, Chandigarh. The Hon’ble Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, flagged off and officially inaugurated the Mobile Eye Clinic van.
This impactful initiative aims to bridge the healthcare gap by ensuring quality eye care reaches those who need it most.
The services through this initiative include Free Eye Screening to ensure early detection and timely intervention. Those in need of further attention will be referred to the base Hospitals. Spectacles will be distributed free to correct refractive errors.
This initiative represents a major stride in NAB’s mission to provide quality eye care to underserved populations
April 14–16, 2025 40 passionate professionals
National Association for the Blind Chandigarh & Punjab branch is dedicated to uplift the quality of life of the visually challenged and to integrate the visually impaired to enter the mainstream society. The association is rendering valuable services to the visually challenged by developing educational, vocational and employment programs for the incurable blind children and adults. The project is imparting computer skills to the visually challenged to empower them and open doors of information otherwise inaccessible for them and also focuses on skill development through basic IT training.
We are trying to improve upon the capabilities of persons with disability so as to bring them at par with others to the extent possible and computer education has helped us in this endeavor. Therefore, the maximum thrust is on improving the IT skills of the visually-impaired to integrate them with the mainstream society.The training program is open to not only visually impaired but also students from EWS section of society from nearby districts. Besides, students from outside will also attend the course free of cost. Our computer training program, empower blind and low vision students to reach great heights. Students withvision impairment areprovided with one-to-one intensive training in computer applications ranging from basicto advanced. All our programs are totally free for all and no fee whatsoever has been charged from anyone since its inception in 2003.
Our association is successfully registered under Skill india PMKVY and was the only one teaching computers to the visually impaired in this region under Ministry of Skill.
NAB Inclusive Education Program for the visually impaired has been operational since 2004, empowering students to study alongside their sighted peers with the support of accessible teaching materials, assistive technologies, and skilled Special Educators. The program aims to create a positive and inclusive environment in schools, families, and communities, ensuring holistic education for children with visual impairments. Beyond academics, students benefit from counselling, career guidance, and vocational training, helping them develop confidence, independence, and essential life skills. By actively involving parents and teachers, the program builds a strong support network to achieve the best outcomes for each child.
Welcome to NAB Chandigarh’s Digital Library Service, your gateway to a world of accessible reading materials. We are dedicated to breaking barriers and ensuring that individuals with visual impairments can access literature, education, and knowledge in formats tailored to their needs. Our service creates books in accessible electronic formats, including DAISY audio, and provides them through our National Online Library, Sugamya Pustakalaya.
The Digital Library Service by NAB Chandigarh is designed to empower individuals with visual impairments, enabling them to access a diverse collection of reading materials seamlessly and independently. We firmly believe that everyone has the right to engage with the written word, and our service is committed to making this vision a reality.
A person who loses the most precious gift of God—sight—often faces immense frustration and emotional challenges. Such individuals require proper counseling, guidance, and training to regain their confidence and adapt to a new way of life. Keeping this in mind, NAB Chandigarh has taken up this challenging yet rewarding training program aimed at empowering and rehabilitating this underprivileged section of society.
Through this initiative, NAB Chandigarh provides comprehensive support to ensure socio-economic rehabilitation, helping individuals with visual impairments lead independent and fulfilling lives. Our program focuses on building confidence, fostering self-reliance, and enabling them to become active and valued members of society.
The National Association for the Blind (NAB) is a duly affiliated body of the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) and functions as the official State Body of CABI for Chandigarh, operating under the title Cricket Association for the Blind, Chandigarh (CABC).
Through this esteemed affiliation, NAB–CABC is dedicated to the promotion and development of blind cricket in the region. It provides a structured and inclusive platform for visually impaired players to receive professional coaching, engage in regular practice sessions, and participate in competitive matches.
NAB–CABC proudly manages the official men’s and women’s blind cricket teams of Chandigarh, which actively compete in state, zonal, and national-level tournaments conducted under the aegis of CABI. By nurturing talent and fostering sportsmanship, NAB continues to empower visually impaired athletes, helping them build confidence, teamwork, and leadership through the spirit of cricket.
At NAB Chandigarh, we are committed to empowering Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) through holistic programs that nurture creativity, physical well-being, and social engagement. Our initiatives in Music, Theatre, Sports, and Recreation are designed to enhance confidence, foster self-expression, and promote inclusion, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to thrive.At NAB Chandigarh, we believe in the transformative power of these programs to enrich lives, promote inclusion, and celebrate the abilities of every individual. Join us in creating a vibrant, inclusive space where creativity, physical activity, and recreation come together to inspire and empower.
As part of our ongoing Prevention and Cure Program for Eye Ailments, the National Association for the Blind, Chandigarh, and Punjab regularly conducts eye screening camps across Chandigarh, Mohali, and adjoining areas. These camps aim to identify individuals — including children — who require specialized eye care and timely medical attention.
Children diagnosed with low vision during these screenings are seamlessly integrated into NAB’s inclusive education and skill training programs, ensuring they receive not only medical support but also the educational and vocational opportunities needed for a brighter, independent future.
To correct refractive errors, free spectacles are provided to all needy beneficiaries. Over the past two years, we have successfully organized more than 30 eye screening camps, benefiting thousands of individuals and distributed free spectacles to underprivileged persons.
