At 54, when many begin to slow down, Pradeep B J is gearing up for a fresh start - making history as a person with 90% vision loss to take charge as Kannur university PRO next week.
"This appointment itself feels like my greatest success," Pradeep says, his voice carrying pride and emotion. "To reach here, after living in darkness, means everything."
Currently a statistical investigator with the Department of Economics and Statistics in Ernakulam, Pradeep will assume charge next week - marking a first not just for Kannur University, but, he believes, for the country as well.
Hailing from Kuttichal in Thiruvananthapuram, Pradeep's academic journey shows his grit and determination - a postgraduate degree in journalism from the University of Kerala and a PG diploma in science and development communication from C-DIT. But it is his life beyond degrees that truly tells the story.
Years ago, Pradeep was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that gradually took away his eyesight. "That was the first big jolt in my life," he recalls. By 2011, he had lost 90 percent of his vision, forcing him to step away from a promising career in visual media.
What followed was not surrender, but reinvention.
Starting as an office attendant in government service, he steadily worked his way up, serving in departments including public works and health before becoming a statistical investigator. When the notification for the PRO post was released in 2022, Pradeep decided to try once more.
"I wrote the exam at 52, with the help of a scribe," he says. "Preparation wasn't easy - audio books, screen readers,YouTube and my wife reading out notes for me. That's how I studied."
If there is one constant in his journey, it is his wife, Bindu. "She is my only pillar of support," he says, his voice softening. A cancer survivor herself, Bindu stood by him through every challenge. "She read for me, encouraged me, and believed in me when I struggled."
After clearing the exam and interview, Pradeep received his advice memo recently - a moment that brought him to tears. "People often ask why I kept going," he says. "This appointment is the answer."
His achievement also comes with another milestone: for the first time, PRO appointments in universities across Kerala are being made through the Public Service Commission.
Yet, Pradeep's focus is already on what lies ahead. With just about one and a half years of service, he wants to make the most of it. "I may have limited time," he says, "but I want to ensure that the visually challenged are not left behind. Universities must make everything accessible to them, including communication devices, websites - everything must be accessible to all. These are the changes I hope to see to support people with disabilities."
As six other universities in Kerala - including Calicut University, CUSAT, MG University, Kerala University, KUHS and Kerala Technological University - move to appoint permanent PROs, Pradeep's journey rises above as more than a milestone; it becomes a message.
It is the story of a man who refused to give up when darkness closed in, who held on through uncertainty, and who found light again. In the end, it's about proving that even without sight, hope can still show the way.