NEW DELHI, INDIA, Jan 12: Prasanna Kumar Pincha, a blind person, has been appointed as Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities for the first time in the country.

Pincha took charge as the Chief Commissioner on December 28. A disability rights activist, Pincha had served as founder principal of Government Institute for the Blind in Assam's Jorhat.

A law graduate with a Masters degree in English literature, Pincha also worked as a Joint Director in Social Welfare Department of Assam government and was a Special Rapporteur with National Human Rights Commission.

He was selected for the National Award for Best Employee (Visual Disability) in 1999 by the Central government.

Source: http://ibnlive.in.com