When you step into a meeting of the Bhuj Kutch Sight First Lions Club of District 3232-J, one thing immediately stands out – it isn’t the absence of sight, but the presence of vision.
Established on December 3, 2015 — International Day of Persons with Disabilities – this club is unique in India. Every member of the club is visually impaired—some partially, others totally. Yet, what binds them is not their limitation, but their determination to give back to society.
The inspiration behind their journey is then District Governor Meena Mehta, who remains their brand ambassador and their constant source of encouragement. Together with her husband PDG Bharat Mehta, she helped the club set up the Meena Mehta Fellowship in 2018 which sustains its projects.
Over the past decade, these Lions have quietly built something extraordinary. Among their members are doctors, physiotherapists, teachers, and professionals serving in banks, railways, and government departments. But through their club, they are changemakers.
Their signature project is one very close to their hearts—a day care and therapy centre for children with multiple disabilities like cerebral palsy, autism, and muscular dystrophy. More than 2,000 children receive free therapy here from a team of specialists—physiotherapists, psychologists, speech and occupational therapists, special educators, pediatricians, and others. For parents it is not just a facility, but a lifeline.
Members of Bhuj Kutch Sight First Lions Club are proof that blindness is not a barrier—it’s just another way of seeing.
Each year, the club hosts a five-day national chess tournament for the visually impaired, drawing over a thousand players from across India, including international champions. The Braille Map Car Rally is another favourite: here, blind navigators guide sighted drivers across the city’s routes, turning stereotypes on their head. At the club’s annual Food Festival, visually impaired women from across Gujarat showcase their culinary skills – cooking up surprises and serving them with flair.
Beyond these annual events, the club has also worked closely with the Gujarat government to organize a state-level cricket tournament and athletics for the visually impaired. And the momentum continues. This year too, the club will host the West Zone Tournament in Bhuj (Sept. 11–14, 2025), the Braille Map Car Rally (Dec. 7, 2025), and the Gujarat Cricket and Athletics events in partnership with the state government. Together, these efforts represent nearly ₹1.5 crore in activity—a sign of both the scale of their work and the trust their partners place in them.
Guided by Past District Governors Meena Mehta and Bharat Mehta, and supported by District Governor Abhay Shah, the Bhuj Kutch Sight First Lions Club looks ahead with confidence. Over the years, members have taken on various district responsibilities, growing in experience and leadership along the way. This year, the club is especially proud that its Charter President, Dhamendra Sinh Jadeja, has been appointed Joint Secretary on the Governor’s team—a recognition that has lifted the spirits of every member.
Ten years on, Lions Club Kutch Sight First continues to grow, not because its members see the world differently, but because of how they help others see what is possible.