Self-motivated, visually-impaired Pune student eyes big as she is set to join IIM Indore

20-year-old Sakshi Amrutkar was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa - a rare eye and genetic disease, that affects the retina. She is the first student from the NFBM Jagriti School for Blind Girls, Alandi to get into a top B-school.

Sakshi will join the institution and on top of her bucket list is to purchase the first-ever flight tickets for her parents.

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She may not see the colourful birds but enjoys their chirping every morning. No matter whether roses are red or yellow, 20-year-old Sakshi Amrutkar simply loves their smell. For this Pune woman, born blind, it is now her time to reassure and support her parents as she moves on to pursue higher studies at the Indian Institute of Management, Indore – the first student from the National Federation of Blind Maharashtra (NFBM) Jagriti School for Blind Girls, Alandi, to do so.

On June 25, Sakshi will join the institution and on top of her bucket list is to purchase the first-ever flight tickets for her parents. “They were horrified to find that I could not see and despite multiple rounds of medical checkups I was diagnosed with a condition called retinitis pigmentosa – a group of rare eye and genetic disease that affect the retina,” says Sakshi and adds that with no cure she motivated herself to excel academically.

“My mother used to scan pages of the textbook and would convert it into a pdf or Word document so that I could use the TalkBack screen reader to study. I got a laptop later during college days and that made studying a lot easier,” she adds.

Assistive Technology has helped specially challenged children not just with studies but other obstacles like making payments and today Sakshi is comfortable going to the shop or mall and making her own purchases and payment.

Her father’s fabrication unit shut down during Covid pandemic and mother who is a librarian manages a fair amount of household expenses. Her parents’ struggle motivated her to perform well.

She cleared the CA Foundation course in the first attempt at the age of 16 but decided to pursue higher studies in strategic management. She appeared for the Common Admission Test (CAT) last year and after interviews she got calls from 11 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). Finally, she decided to study at IIM-Indore.

Sakina Bedi, project director of NBFM Jagriti School and NBFM national spokesperson, says Sakshi is the first such student from among the 350 alumni to have got into a top B-school.

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“Since 1998 Jagriti School has been securing 100 per cent results in the SSC examination with an average six students securing a distinction every year. Around 75 students are currently gainfully employed in sectors like banking, insurance, software,” Bedi says.

Among the toppers at her school and college, Sakshi even published a book of poems titled `A Blooming Bud’ where she composes verses on seashells, nightingales and peacocks through their vivid sounds and smell.

Sakshi lives by the motto ‘Nothing is impossible’ and continues to be inspired by a series of persons who have dealt with hardships and achieved milestones. “Why dwell on the negatives, when there is so much more to do?” she asks and proudly showcases another achievement of completing a voice acting course from the noted Indian voice actress Sonal Kaushal, well-known for her work in ‘Doraemon’ – a popular manga and anime series in Japan.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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