A Machinery Factory Run by Visually Challenged People – a Rejuvenating Experience

Paradip: Just imagine, all employees including the executive body and the owner being visually challenged running a machinery factory which is manufacturing ‘Pins’ and ‘Clamps’ of the boilers for the Power plant. It is not only a wonderful experience but also difficult to believe. But this is a real story of a Tiruchirapalli factory, ORBIT, which was experienced by Chief Project Manager Arvind Kumar of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL), Paradip, in his recent visit. He is sharing his unforgettable experience with Santosh Kumar Jagdev, reporter in Odisha 360.com.

On December 21, 2011, Arvind Kumar had visited Tiruchirapalli on a mission to expedite supplies of Boilers at Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited’s (BHEL) works for Power plant of IOCL’s ongoing Paradip Refinery Project. BHEL has outsourced non-pressure parts of these boilers to certain vendors nearby Tiruchirapalli. ‘ORBIT’ is among such outsourced vendor, who is making Pins and Clamps of these boilers for their project. When Arvind and his team reached ORBIT works, they were greeted by their President P R Pandi, who himself is a visually challenged person. “To my utter surprise, the whole ORBIT workshop is run by visually challenged persons. Though I was aware of certain special schools and institutions for these persons but never heard about any manufacturing industry run completely by such persons. What I saw next inside the workshop is quite difficult to believe. I had never witnessed such well coordinated and coherent working by these persons,” said Arvind.

He further said that people were segregating the raw material, feeding the raw material on cutting, shearing and punching machines with the help of their fellow visually challenged friends, collecting the final products and bagging them after quality checks. The whole manufacturing process was efficiently done and finished product was meeting the quality standards, he added.

“I was lost in deep admiration seeing their untiring efforts for making vital parts for our project and emotionally touched. Their interpersonal understanding and collective effort was exemplary and far better as compared to normal workers engaged in other industrial units. The photos depict it completely but silently…,” he continued.

Arvind found that people were working with no ego and communication was being made not with vital sensory organs like eyes, but with their hearts. “I was thrilled and compelled to think that dedicated and sincere working by these special people is a great example towards values of humanity which defies all laws of Project Management. Calm and peace prevail here in their coordinated rhythm of working against any feeling of industrial acrimony,” he shared.

What came next was even more surprising. A physically handicapped welder was doing welding on the job and was assisted by a physically handicapped helper. They saw his helper almost running and going to store room next door to fetch the electrodes quickly. When inquired how he could do such job with much ease, his fellow companion from BHEL Jai Ram told him that every worker working here is fully conversant with the layout of workshop and does the job with calculated steps-concepts of time and motion study, well grasped by them by heart. Adding that he said, “I was overwhelmed by their indomitable spirit, everlasting zeal and working in perfect harmony.” At the end, ORBIT president Pandi requested him, “Sir, if you come across any visually challenged person, please direct him to me, we will make him our team member here.”

“I controlled my emotions, advised them to maintain time-lines and quickly moved out with mixed feelings, thinking and admiring effort and passion of ORBIT in this endeavour and with firm conviction that Paradip Refinery Project will soon be a realised dream,” ended Arvind.