Subramani Lakshminarayanan

Chief copy editor, Deccan Herald. Author, "Lights Out: The True Story Of A Man's Descent Into Blindness" (Random House India, 2014). ClubHouse:Subramani Lakshmi

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

Come January 1, 2022, I’m starting a campaign called #Inclusive21C (or Inclusive 21st Century). I’m not going to invent new activities, but would hook my social media activities.
#inclusion #TheInclusiveClub

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

As someone who became blind at 18, I once saw the white cane as a sign of shame. Then I realised it was a statement of confidence.

Today, I use my white cane as a symbol of independence. I am sure many blind people feel the same.

Thank you, Akhilesh, for this post.

[Akhilesh Malani @akhilesh_malani]

Today is White Cane Safety Day. My cane is not a sign of what I cannot do; it is how I do almost everything else. If you see a person with a white cane, ask before you help, and keep footpaths clear. #WhiteCaneDay #Accessibility
@FableFoible

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

The best thing about an iPhone is that, even when an app hangs, a blind VoiceOver user does not get stranded. You can kill the app and keep using the phone.

Today, Gemini became more than my iPhone 13 seemed ready to handle while I was cleaning my inbox. Shutting it down took some effort, but I never had to call a sighted person for help. That is how devices should work.

I do not know how far Android and TalkBack have come because I am not using them now. But independence during a failure matters as much as accessibility when everything is working.

#Apple #Accessibility #iPhone13 #IndependentLiving #ScreenReaders #VoiceOver

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

@sumanthraman That might be true, but Musk isn’t offering anything at a bargain. It’s laughable to frame this as helping rural or underserved communities when the people who need it most are completely priced out.

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

@Lolita_TNIE @AkasaAir Please also write about the accessibility of these airlines for people with disability

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

You may be right about that. As much as I could notice, banks are spreading awareness about digital arrest and sharing of banking information with others. Ours is a vast country with so much diversity and it is no surprise that what works for many does not work for a few. Agree about protecting the 1%

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

@beastieboy07 The troubles of being a fast-bowling allrounder.

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

@Suhelseth @AAI_Official @RamMNK Precisely, that is what the Chief Minister himself said and he drew flack from the opposition for encouraging private profiteers!

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

Not sure if Indians are the only scammers. Surely some are, but that cannot be a justification for acting like the executor of my estate. Banks are here to provide a service and it would be good for all concerned if they do only that instead of acting like the custodian for the disabled and block services that would make their lives convenient. We face the same risks as others so singling out disability as people requiring protection is not correct.

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

@sivaetb Since Kamaraj, who has done anything to improve the storage infrastructure? This is expected

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

@prasannalara Brilliant move. Hope this is for 2027.

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

Tamil comedians are visionaries: V.K. ராமசாமி, நாகேஷ், மனோரமா, தேங்காய் சீனிவாசன்... Rare Comedy Collection https://t.co/4n7jk5KAzE via @YouTube

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

@beastieboy07 Here is the issue: for someone to bat, someone must bowl. By preparing batter-friendly wickets, we are killing the game. Showbusiness and audience preferences take precedence over the need to give both batters and bowlers a fair chance.

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

Lately, iPhone’s dictation gets everything wrong. Accuracy levels have alarmingly dropped to the extent that it is on the brink of becoming unreliable. Especially using on apps like WhatsApp or FB and X. Is that only me or if other screen reader users also face this issue?
#iPhoneAccessibility
#AppleAccessibility
#IOS27
#AppleVIS

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

@kcvblr Probably attention seeking. Similarly irritating habit is when people remove their silencers and ride their bike with more noise than what a sensitive ear can tolerate and honk insistently when there is no way ahead.

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

FYI, I use JAWS 2026 screen reader. Mentioning this to provide some context.

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

For the past three days, I am unable to open #ChatGPT’s latest desktop app. I did everything possible, right from repair to reinstallation, but the problem seems to be one of accessibility. I am mentioning this with caution because sometimes these things could be local and something could be wrong only at my end. But still, if this is a wider issue, since I am encountering it after updating the app, I would like to bring it to the attention of @OpenAI team and see if this could be fixed at the earliest because I could not wait to test the latest plugins and releases. Expecting a solution.
#ChatGPTAccessibility
#AIAccessibility
#ProblemsInUsingApp

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

There is no shortage of technology for people with disabilities.

Sometimes the problem is finding out that it exists.

Hadley, a US-based organisation that has been supporting people with blindness and low vision in the United States and around the world for more than a century, has launched a mobile app bringing its practical guides, videos, podcasts and community resources into one place.

That sounds like a fairly ordinary app announcement.

But it reminded me of something we do not discuss enough when talking about accessibility.

A person who suddenly begins losing vision does not automatically acquire a directory of assistive technology along with the diagnosis.

How would they know about a screen reader?

Who tells them that a phone can read printed text aloud?

How do they discover accessible navigation, object recognition, audiobook services or the dozens of small technological tricks that can make an enormous difference to everyday independence?

Those of us who have lived with disability for years gradually accumulate this knowledge. We learn from other disabled people, mailing lists, organisations, conferences, WhatsApp groups and, quite often, through accidental discovery.

Someone entering this world today starts from zero.

AI is making assistive technology considerably more capable, but capability alone does not produce accessibility.

People have to know that the technology exists, understand what it can do and receive enough support to begin using it confidently.

Perhaps one of the less glamorous problems in accessibility technology is therefore becoming one of the more important ones.

Discovery.

The cleverest accessibility feature in the world is of very little use to the person who never learns that it is sitting inside the phone already in their pocket.

Further reading:

Hadley Helps: https://t.co/7HCLe7pMmv

#Accessibility #AssistiveTechnology #Disability #VisionLoss #DigitalInclusion #Technology

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

@blindiephoenix My expectations for iOS 27? Honestly, not very high. I’m expecting the usual crop of glitches that seem to accompany most major iOS releases these days. I just hope Apple irons them out quickly—and that accessibility doesn’t end up paying the price.

[Subramani Lakshminarayanan @FableFoible]

Accessibility in our malls can be so much better. It has been years since I have been able to walk confidently into a shop without wondering whether I am entering the right one. The technology already exists to let our phones identify nearby stores and guide blind users accurately. We do not need new inventions—just the willingness to implement them.