Rahul Dravid releases ‘Eye Opener’ book, calls it ‘great story of inspiration’
GK Mahantesh's autobiography 'Eye Opener' was unveiled by Rahul Dravid in Bengaluru. The book showcases an extraordinary story of a visually challenged man
FollowBengaluru: Batting legend Rahul Dravid released ‘Eye Opener’, the autobiography of GK Mahantesh, president of the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) and president of World Blind Cricket (WBC).
Dravid, Mahantesh, founder and managing trustee of Samarthanam, Satish Vishwanathan, cricket journalist, Rajendra KR, Mahantesh’s mentor and Subu Kota, president of Samarthanam USA together launched the autobiography virtually from their respective locations on Thursday (September 10).
Releasing this soul-stirring account, the legendary batsman Dravid couldn’t stop himself. In his words, “Eye Opener is an inspiration to the entire society. It is a fascinating story, a story waiting to be written, needed to be written and the time has come to record decades of achievements. It is a great story of inspiration of what can be achieved if you have an extraordinary vision. We are inspired to what can be done to the society from the story of Mahantesh GK. He touched the lives of many people out there and made a difference in their lives.”
Dravid added, “It is easy to organise big cricket tournaments but it requires great courage and dedication to organise blind cricket tournaments and Mahantesh GK and his team have registered incredible achievements. I was the brand ambassador for one of the Blind Cricket World Cups and it is an incredible game. Mahantesh is a true leader who in spite of various adversities, went on with his journey and inspired many people around him.”
'Eye Opener's authors Satish Vishwanathan (left) and Mahantesh
Mahantesh, speaking on the occasion, said, “Completing my autobiography and releasing it today, on my friend and co-founder of Samarthanam, Nagesh SP’s birthday is a treasured moment for me. The book was released by Rahul Dravid, Satish Vishwanathan, Rajendra KR, and Subu Kota which makes me feel extremely honoured. I convey my sincere gratitude to all those people who have been a part of my life’s journey. I look forward to continuing my service to the society and contribute to the making of an inclusive world.”
Published by Notion Press, this autobiography opens a window into the world of Mahantesh G Kivadasnnavar and his love for cricket that acted as the driving force behind turning his extraordinary vision into reality.
Blindness at birth can be particularly debilitating because right from the off, you are deprived of self-dependency. You rely on others to help perform even the most basic of activities, which can result in diminished self-confidence and self-esteem. However, if you learn to not just take the disability in your stride but also use it as a motivation to scale the ladder of life, then sky is the limit. This is what has been amply illustrated in the book.
