Blind Students from Telangana Tie First Rakhi to President

 Hyderabad: Students from the Government Girls High School for the Blind, Malakpet, tied the first rakhis to President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Saturday. The school was the only institution for the visually impaired at the event, attending alongside Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) Anthargaon from Peddapalli district.

Headmistress Asra Fatima called it a rare honour. “Two schools from Telangana were invited. Our students were the first to tie the rakhi. We are thankful to have been chosen and grateful that children with special needs were represented on a national platform,” she said.

The Malakpet team comprised headmistress Fatima, English teacher P. Suparna and four students — E. Shashinanditha and T. Harshitha (Class X), G. Radhika (Class IX) and J. Bhavani (Class VIII). KGBV Anthargaon was represented by teacher B. Latha and five students — P. Amulya (Class XI), P. Akshara and E. Sahasra (Class X), A. Sowmya (Class IX) and B. Sahasra (Class VIII).

The day began at 8.30 am from the National Institute of Education, NCERT campus, with the group reaching Rashtrapati Bhavan by 10 am carrying handmade rakhis, a Braille greeting card and a tactile paper replica of the presidential residence. The President arrived around 10.35 am, spoke about planting more trees for the future, and urged children to spread the message. She then stepped down from the dais and walked to the Telangana group, where the Malakpet students tied the first rakhi and presented their gifts.

After the ceremony, the children toured Rashtrapati Bhavan before returning to the NIE at around 3.30 pm. The invitation, sent by the ministry of education, asked for five students and a teacher from each selected government school, including KGBVs and schools for children with disabilities. Telangana’s education department coordinated travel and arrangements for the Hyderabad and Peddapalli teams.