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"Discerning and courageous leader who has labored diligently and ceaselessly in the service of his blind colleagues in the far corners of the world, whose steadfast faith, selfless, devotional, wise counsel have enabled many thousands of blind persons to take their rightful place in the busy stream of life. A true and faithful friend, in tribute to your many years of devoted and faithful service to our common cause the world over, and deeply mindful of the affection and esteem in which you are held throughout our profession, we do now, in grateful acknow­ledge­ment confer upon you the honorary life membership of the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind.” The highest honor conferred at the international level on any person furthering and bettering the lot of the teeming millions of blind throughout the globe was conferred on Rus­tom Merwanji Alpai­wala at the first general meeting of the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind held            at the UNE­SCO House in Paris in 1954.

 Alpaiwala was the spirit behind the founding of the National Association for the Blind (NAB), which wor­ked to improve the education, training, employment and welfare of the blind in India. This soft spoken, simple, unassuming man who reached the peak in international work for blind welfare was born in Bombay on May 7, 1887. He received his early education in the New High School at Bombay. An Elphin­stonian, he obtained his BA degree with physics and chemistry as his optional subjects. He cleared the LLB exam in 1911 and subsequently qualified as a barrister. Rustom’s father, Merwanji, was a distinguished solicitor reputed for his magnificent services to the Masina Hospital for several decades. His marble statue adorns the compound of the Hospital. 

From a very early age, Rustom had weak eyes. The degeneration of the retina — in medical terms Retenitis Pigmentosa — gradually reduced his vision. He consulted ophthalmologists of repute in England and Germany, but the treatment did not improve his vision. While pleading a case in the High Court he felt he could hardly see and the court permitted him to withdraw. Alpaiwala realized he had lost his vision.

He contacted Dr Nilkantrai Ch­hatra­pati, the then principal of the Victoria Memorial School for the Blind, and his brother Haripra­sad. After learning braille, he realized that there were about a dozen braille codes in India as a result of which the blind, trained in different codes, could not even communicate with each other. He was determined to work for a uniform braille code and undertook extensive research to evolve one. At a conference for the Blind and Deaf held in Bombay in 1923, Alpaiwala presented a paper which led to the adopting of a resolution which urged that the same signs should represent similar sounds. In 1941, the Government of India appointed a "Uniform Braille Code Committee.” Alpai­wala was appointed on this committee. Finally, the government referred the matter to UNESCO and a Braille Advisory Committee appointed by UNESCO laid down the basic principles for the formation of a uniform braille code. Following the excellent guidelines, a Bharati Braille was evolved. Alpaiwala’s contribution has been recognized nationally and internationally, and much appreciated.

At the initiative of a blind person, and if memory serves me right his name was Shiraz Basrai, the Blind Men’s Association (BMA) was founded at Surat in 1947. At the general elections held a year later, Alpaiwala was elected president. The BMA was responsible for the convening of the First Provincial Conference for the Blind at Bombay in 1948 followed by the first All India Conference for the Blind at which the National Association was brought into being on January 19, 1952. Alpaiwala was the president and the writer of this article, the honorary secretary. 

Alpaiwala, who was totally blind, served as chairman of the organizing committee of the First all India Conference for the Blind held at the Sir C. J. Hall in Bom­bay from January 19 to 21, 1952. It was at this conference that B. G. Kher, then chief minister of Bombay, moved a resolution bringing NAB into existence. The resolution was unanimously adopted.

Every fortnight, my wife Perin and I made it a point to visit Alpaiwala and his gentle lady, Tehmina. When Tehmina Elavia saw Rus­tom and his calm, positive, progressive approach, she fell in love with him, won him over and was a great support to him all his life. She was Alpaiwala’s eyes. She fully gave of herself. While Perin spent time with the ladies, I would spell out the projects and proposals I had planned to develop at the NAB. Alpaiwala would enumerate the difficulties he envisaged and say "if you can get over these problems, go ahead.” We two clicked very well. Alpaiwala’s support was my greatest asset.

When municipal commissioner P. R. Nayak was approached for a suitable plot of land he immediately sanctioned a plot at Annie Besant Road so that Helen Keller could lay the foundation stone of the workshop. We had barely three or four days to level the plot, lay a mandap and finalize arrangements for the function. Morarji Desai, as chairman of the State Council on Blindness, welcomed Helen Keller and Alpaiwala proposed a vote of thanks. Keller said she looked forward to "one law: peace; one need: wisdom; one means: work — and God as love supreme.” She exhorted India to realize that the blind — nay all those with physical and/or mental problems and disabilities — needed love, approval of family and society, employment and an opportunity to lead a normal family and social life. Her visit created a mass awakening in India. People watching her international crusade despite her triple handicaps from birth were greatly enthused to do their mite for the disabled. Keller’s state visit to India was the dawn of a new era and one of the greatest achievements of the newly formed NAB. Alpaiwala played a major role in the success of her week-long visit to Bombay.

The Padma Shri was conferred on Alpaiwala on January 26, 1960 in recognition of his over 40 years of selfless devotion to  promoting all-round services for the blind and the visually impaired in India. As far as I know, Alpaiwala was the first disabled person in India to be so honored by the state. 

Alpaiwala was also the president emeritus of the BMA, vice president of the Bombay State Council on Blindness, a leading Freemason, eminent theosophist, editor of the Bombay Theosophiscal Bulletin for over 20 years and a trustee, honorary office bearer or a member of several committees of institutions or associations for the blind.

The annual Rustom Merwanji Alpaiwala Award was instituted by NAB in appreciation of pioneering work by a volunteer or professional in the field of blind welfare.

Capt Hormazdiar Desai retired from the Indian Administrative Service as joint secretary, finance, Maharashtra state. Thereafter he served many charitable causes, working as honorary secretary of the National Association for the Blind and as founder member of the National Society for Equal Opportunities for the Handicapped. He was joint honorary secretary and trustee of the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute and has been associated with religious institutions like the Anjuman Atash Behram and Sorabji        Ranji Agiary as governing council member/trustee.