The main objective of writing this book was to not treat the differently abled any different from normal people
Chess champion Vishwanathan Anand interacting with students during the launch of children's book Kanna Panna. (Photo: DC)
Chennai: Children are inspiring because they are fearless, Chess Grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand said during the launch of the children’s book Kanna Panna, which focuses on a visually impaired boy named ‘Kanna’.
The book was launched at Vidyasagar School (formerly the Spastics Society of India) on Tuesday. Author Zai Whitaker said she wrote this book after being inspired by a blind child who was helping out. “Our sympathy for them is very limited we need to interact with them a lot,” she said.
Kanna Panna is a 10-year-old boy, who is very quiet but very naughty. The story is about how Kanna, despite being blind, leads his aunt’s family out of a cave temple where light goes off. At a much later stage the reader gets to know about his blindness. The main objective of writing this book was to not treat the differently abled any different from the normal people.
Students who read the story threw questions to the author as well as Anand. The first naive question came from a boy who asked, “Was it your idea to become the Grandmaster?” To this he said he had to go through three levels to win the title.
To a question on why he chose chess, Anand said, “I was trying many things but my choice was chess.” Anand also pointed out that he has been involved with Vidyasagar for many years and the challenges the differently abled students face. “Today was the collaboration with ulika publications. In the story even though the parents knew about the child’s disability didn’t want to tell him. It was very well weaved not bringing out the disability of the child at the first go. I was very happy to support this,” he said.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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