Upasana Makati, publisher of 'White Print', a magazine for the visually challenged shares how sustaining her venture gets tough sometimes but a call from a satisfied reader makes all the effort worthwhile.
Does being visually challenged mean you cannot enjoy a good movie or harbour dreams of experiencing the world through travel? Upasana Makati, the 26-year-old publisher of 'White Print', a magazine for the visually challenged, does not agreeto this notion. So, in 2013 Makati launched a Braille magazine where even topics like entertainment and film reviews find a place.
Talking to iamin ahead of TEDxGatewayWomen where she was a speaker, Makati shares how sustaining her venture gets tough sometimes but a call from a satisfied reader makes all the effort worthwhile.
How was the idea for White Print conceived?
I was working with a PR company in 2012 and it started out as a thought. I was wondering that if the sighted wanted to read, there were so many options for them, however there was nothing for the visually challenged, which shocked me. We were talking about technology and robots but something as simple as a magazine in Braille was not available.
I started conducting a lot of research online as well as through the National Association for the Blind (NAB) in Mumbai. Three months down the line I had quit my job. It took me eight months to complete all the legal aspects that were needed to register a title. I had decided that it would not be a charity venture as when I interacted with a lot of visually challenged people, I realised that they did not want sympathy. Their skills, according to my experience, were better than any sighted person.
Was there a personal motivation for doing something for the visually impaired?
A lot of people ask me if there was some trigger point but there was nothing like that. I do not have a close friend or even a distant relative who is visually impaired.
What are kind of subjects that White Paper broaches?
There are articles about music, films, short stories and politics. Then there are success stories that we write about. We also have recipes in Braille because we found out that there aren’t too many cookbooks available in Braille and there are people who really love cooking.
Our travels articles are much more descriptive because we want people to feel the place as they are not going to see it. We do not restrict ourselves in terms of our writing style or vocabulary as it just helps them learn the language better. Some companies though tell us to put their logos in colour but I refuse to do so. I tell them that since the visually challenged are not going to be able to see it, the move would be very insensitive on my part.
Lifestyle magazines tend to broach subjects of personal nature as well. Does White Paper follow that trend?
We do not do that but we have a reader’s section where they can share their views and experiences. Some share poems or their own personal journey. It becomes like a conversation among the community.
Who contributes the content to the magazine?
I personally write three to four pieces every month. I do a lot of interviews for the magazine. There are a lot of freelancers who voluntarily write feature stories for us. I do not really have permanent staff as such.
Do you conduct research to understand the topics your readers want to read about?
We keep changing our columns. First we did not know if they would like to read about films. But they do have their favourite actors and actresses. They hear it through the dialogues. We have an entertainment column where we interview people. We recently interviewed Kalki for Margarita with a Straw. An 80-year-old reader told me that don’t exclude us from anything that we might not be able to experience in our life. Let us know about things that we cannot see. There is no difference between a lifestyle magazine for the sighted and for the visually impaired.
How difficult was it to work out the logistics once you had conceived the idea of White Print?
NAB has been a great support system. To convert text to Braille I use a software called Duxbury. Post this I have a proof reader at NAB who proof reads the text in Braille for me. It is then printed at NAB and we use the Indian post through which you can send any literature for the visually challenged free of cost. We have subscribers across India, though a majority of them are from the South. We normally print 300 copies a month but if we get an advertiser then we print more so that the samples can be sent to institutes.
Has it been a struggle to sustain White Print financially?
It has been really challenging to convince people to advertise for us. We charge people Rs 300 for a yearly subscription but publishing the magazine itself costs Rs 2,500. I have put in all my personal savings to start this. Corporates like TATA, Raymond, Coca Cola and Aircel have also believed in us and helped us move forward. Hopefully more and more people will get sensitised.
How has your journey been so far?
It has been really satisfying. I don’t think any job would have got me this sort of peace. Even when I am having a bad day and I get a call from a reader about how he has loved an article, it just gives me a rush. It has been a learning experience for me as I have had to previous connection with the community. I am getting to know more about people from the visually impaired every day. Each day is a new experience.
For the original version of the report, click here
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