{"id":18210,"date":"2026-08-30T12:16:20","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T12:16:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=18210"},"modified":"2026-08-30T12:16:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-30T12:16:20","slug":"bangalore-based-5-year-old-visually-impaired-girl-learning-to-walk-with-a-cane-wins-3-5-million-views-her-family-was-once-told-it-was-karma-today-she-is-fighting-for-inclusion-and","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=18210","title":{"rendered":"Bangalore based 5-year-old visually impaired girl learning to walk with a cane wins 3.5 million views: Her family was once told it was \u2018karma\u2019; today, she is fighting for inclusion and independence"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\"Bangalore<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Aeny Mishra with her mother Lopamudra Kar and father JyotiRanjan Mishra<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The internet came across Aeny\u2019s story through a video posted on her Instagram account. In the clip, 5-year-old Aeny is learning to walk with a cane, taking careful steps as her mother, Lopamudra Kar, guides her from a distance.Aeny moves forward, feeling her way with the cane. There are moments when she stumbles and pauses, but she keeps going. It is a simple moment between a mother and her five-year-old daughter. But for Lopamudra, it represents something much bigger, the journey of teaching Aeny not to see her visual impairment as a limit to the life she can lead.The clip has garnered over 3.5 million views on Instagram. Everyone who saw the clip couldn\u2019t stop praising Aeny\u2019s confidence, determination and her mother\u2019s courage. However, those steps are a part of a much larger journey for Aeny and her family- one shaped by curiosity, independence, inclusion and her determination to explore the world around her.<\/p>\n

More than a cane: Aeny is learning, exploring and finding her own way<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n

Aeny\u2019s days are filled with the things that make up any energetic five-year-old\u2019s childhood- school, play, travel, learning and exploring. Along the way, she is also learning Braille, piano and abacus, cycling and practising karate. At four-and-a-half, she earned an orange belt in karate.For her parents, JyotiRanjan Mishra and Lopamudra, both IT professionals in Bengaluru, these are not extraordinary activities. They are simply opportunities they want their daughter to have.<\/p>\n

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\"Aeny\u2019s<\/p>\n

Aeny\u2019s routine includes school, Braille, piano, abacus, cycling and karate, alongside regular play and exploration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cAeny\u2019s day is much like any other child\u2019s- school, learning, play in the park and lots of energy,\u201d Lopamudra told. \u201cWhat makes her journey special is not that she does everything differently, but that she continues to find her own way of doing things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018It took us months to accept that she couldn\u2019t see\u2019<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\"Aeny\u2019s<\/p>\n

Aeny\u2019s parents have supported her every step of the way, helping her learn, explore and grow independently.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cAs parents, it was extremely difficult to hear that our child couldn\u2019t see. It took us months to accept the fact that she was visually impaired.\u201d For Lopamudra, accepting Aeny\u2019s visual impairment brought fear, grief and a question: What will my child\u2019s future look like?\u201cAs they say, grief comes in waves. There are still days when I feel extremely low just thinking that my amazing girl may never see us.\u201dBut alongside that grief came support. Lopamudra\u2019s parents eventually moved in with the family to help raise Aeny. Her father became one of the most important people in the little girl\u2019s world. \u201cHe became her best friend,\u201d Lopamudra said.<\/p>\n

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\"Aeny\u2019s<\/p>\n

Aeny\u2019s grandparents have played an important role in her upbringing, supporting the family as she learns and explores.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

For Lopamudra, having her parents beside her made a difficult phase a little more manageable. Her father would take Aeny to the park, talk to her, describe the world around her and encourage her to explore. Their presence also meant that Lopamudra could continue working while knowing that Aeny was surrounded by people she trusted.There were also strangers who offered prayers and good wishes when they learnt about Aeny. \u201cEvery prayer counts,\u201d Lopamudra said. But not every comment was comforting.<\/p>\n

\u2018People told me it was because of karma\u2019<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\"Aeny<\/p>\n

Aeny enjoys travelling and exploring new environments, with her family encouraging her to experience the world independently.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

In the early years, when Lopamudra was still trying to understand what had happened to her daughter, some people told her that Aeny\u2019s visual impairment was the result of \u201ckarma\u201d- something she or her parents had supposedly done in a previous life.Others suggested visiting temples, performing pujas or following particular rituals to change the situation. For a frightened mother searching desperately for answers, such suggestions were difficult to dismiss. \u201cI listened to people. I visited temples, performed pujas and tried different things for almost two years,\u201d she said.It was not, she explained, because she wanted to blame anyone. It was because Aeny was her child and, at that point, Lopamudra was willing to try anything she believed might help.<\/p>\n

Eventually, however, her thinking changed<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\"Aeny<\/p>\n

Aeny is learning Braille and independent living skills with support from Vividha Trust in Bengaluru.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

She realised that looking for a reason to explain Aeny\u2019s disability was taking her away from the question that mattered more: what could she do to help her daughter build a fulfilling and independent life? \u201cAeny didn’t need guilt, pity or explanations about why this had happened. She needed support, education, accessibility and people who believed in her,\u201d Lopamudra said. \u201cThat was a turning point for me. I stopped asking, \u2018Why did this happen to my child?\u2019 and started asking, \u2018What can I do to make sure my child gets the best possible life?\u2019\u201dThat shift is visible in the way Aeny\u2019s childhood has unfolded.She is learning Braille and independent living skills, attends activities designed to build confidence and independence, and enjoys cycling. She is learning piano and abacus and participates in events related to STEM. Karate has become another part of her journey. At just four-and-a-half, she earned an orange belt. For Aeny, these activities are not framed as limitations she must overcome. They are simply things she enjoys learning.As part of that effort to help Aeny become more independent, the family has also found support in Vividha Trust in Bengaluru. The organisation has been helping her learn Braille and develop independent living skills- tools that Lopamudra sees as important not just for Aeny\u2019s education today, but for the independence she will need as she grows.Her mother says the family wants her to experience the world rather than grow up believing that disability should determine what she can or cannot attempt.<\/p>\n

Bengaluru gave her support- but inclusion remains a struggle<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\"Lopamudra<\/p>\n

Lopamudra says finding an inclusive school remains a challenge, after the family approached more than 15 primary schools in Bengaluru.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Living in a Tier 1 city has given Aeny access to therapies, support networks, inclusive events and people who have helped the family navigate unfamiliar territory.But when asked if the city is genuinely accessible and inclusive for Aeny, Lopamudra says she wouldn\u2019t call it so. As the mother of a specially-abled child, Lopamudra says Bengaluru is still far from being genuinely accessible and inclusive for children with disabilities.The biggest challenge came when the family began looking for a school. Lopamudra recalls approaching more than 15 primary schools in Bengaluru, including several well-known institutions, but was unable to secure admission for Aeny. In some cases, she says, admission was offered only on the condition that the family arrange a shadow teacher.For a child at the LKG level, she says, the financial burden can also be significant, with the family spending around Rs 3.2 lakh a year. Her concern is not simply about getting Aeny into a classroom. It is about finding a school that can support her as she grows. \u201cNo school has accessible devices for special-needs children,\u201d she said, adding that she worries about what the future will look like as Aeny moves into higher classes.<\/p>\n

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\"Aeny\u2019s<\/p>\n

Aeny\u2019s story highlights the importance of accessible education, learning support and equal opportunities for children with disabilities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The concerns come against the backdrop of India\u2019s Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Section 16 says educational institutions funded or recognised by the government and local authorities should provide inclusive education, including non-discriminatory admission, accessible facilities, reasonable accommodation and necessary individualised support.For Lopamudra, the issue goes beyond Aeny. She worries about the many children with disabilities who have the ability and potential to learn but continue to struggle to find schools that are willing and equipped to include them. A child\u2019s visual impairment, she believes, should not become a reason to narrow their educational opportunities. What families need is not simply admission, but schools that have the accessible learning tools, trained support and understanding needed to help children participate and progress alongside their peers.For families like Aeny\u2019s, however, the challenge is turning those principles into everyday reality. Lopamudra says there are many bright children with disabilities who continue to struggle to find schools equipped to meet their needs. \u201cI am really worried about better schooling for her as she grows,\u201d she said. \u201cShe is a really intelligent girl and the right path is required for her future.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Our children don\u2019t need sympathy\u2019<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\"Aeny\u2019s<\/p>\n

Aeny\u2019s mother says children with disabilities need acceptance, accessibility and equal opportunities rather than sympathy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

If there is one thing Lopamudra wants other parents to know, it is that a diagnosis should never become a child’s identity. \u201cNever let a diagnosis define your child\u2019s dreams or their future,\u201d she said. The journey, she acknowledges, can come with judgement, uncertainty and moments when parents question whether they are doing enough.Her advice is to notice the small victories.\u201cCelebrate every small achievement, because what may seem like a small step to others can be a huge victory for your child,\u201d she said. Most importantly, she wants children with disabilities to be given opportunities to become independent rather than being constantly protected or pitied. \u201cJust believe in your child, give them opportunities to be independent, and never stop advocating for their right to be included,\u201d she said.And perhaps that is the heart of Aeny\u2019s story. She is not extraordinary because she is visually impaired. Nor does she need to be described only through what she cannot see. She is five. She is learning, travelling, cycling, practising karate, discovering music, asking questions and exploring the world around her.Her parents are simply asking that the world make room for her- not as an exception, not as an object of sympathy, but as a child who deserves the same chance to discover how far she can go. As Aeny\u2019s mother puts it, \u201cOur children don’t need sympathy. They need acceptance, accessibility, equal opportunities and the freedom to show the world what they can do.\u201d<\/div>\n


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Aeny Mishra with her mother Lopamudra Kar and father JyotiRanjan Mishra The internet came across Aeny\u2019s story through a video posted on her Instagram account. In the clip, 5-year-old Aeny is learning to walk with a cane, taking careful steps as her mother, Lopamudra Kar, guides her from a distance.Aeny moves forward, feeling her way […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/aeny-mishra-with-her-mother-lopamudra-kar-and-father-jyotiranjan-mishra.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/aeny-mishra-with-her-mother-lopamudra-kar-and-father-jyotiranjan-mishra.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/aeny-mishra-with-her-mother-lopamudra-kar-and-father-jyotiranjan-mishra.jpg","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/aeny-mishra-with-her-mother-lopamudra-kar-and-father-jyotiranjan-mishra.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/aeny-mishra-with-her-mother-lopamudra-kar-and-father-jyotiranjan-mishra.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/aeny-mishra-with-her-mother-lopamudra-kar-and-father-jyotiranjan-mishra.jpg","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/aeny-mishra-with-her-mother-lopamudra-kar-and-father-jyotiranjan-mishra.jpg","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/aeny-mishra-with-her-mother-lopamudra-kar-and-father-jyotiranjan-mishra.jpg","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/aeny-mishra-with-her-mother-lopamudra-kar-and-father-jyotiranjan-mishra.jpg","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/aeny-mishra-with-her-mother-lopamudra-kar-and-father-jyotiranjan-mishra.jpg","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/aeny-mishra-with-her-mother-lopamudra-kar-and-father-jyotiranjan-mishra.jpg","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/aeny-mishra-with-her-mother-lopamudra-kar-and-father-jyotiranjan-mishra.jpg","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/aeny-mishra-with-her-mother-lopamudra-kar-and-father-jyotiranjan-mishra.jpg","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/aeny-mishra-with-her-mother-lopamudra-kar-and-father-jyotiranjan-mishra.jpg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Aeny Mishra with her mother Lopamudra Kar and father JyotiRanjan Mishra The internet came across Aeny\u2019s story through a video posted on her Instagram account. 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