Srikanth Bolla

Blind Indian innovator creating accessible tech solutions for visually impaired communities

Srikanth Bolla, a visually impaired engineer from Hyderabad, has revolutionized assistive technology through his company Eye Tech Solutions. Losing his sight at age 12, Bolla developed his first braille device at 16 and has since created over 30 innovations including the Tactile Code Reader - a low-cost braille converter used in 45 countries. His 2022 invention, the EyeCanDrive app, allows blind users to navigate public transport systems using AI-powered audio instructions, currently deployed in 12 Indian cities.

Bolla's most impactful project is the Accessible Education Initiative, providing free tech kits to 500+ schools across India. This includes the Smart Whiteboard - a braille-enabled educational tool that reduces costs by 70% compared to existing solutions. His partnership with UNESCO's Education 2030 initiative aims to reach 1 million visually impaired students by 2025.

His advocacy led to India's 2023 Digital Accessibility Act, mandating all government websites to adopt his organization's accessibility standards. Bolla's TEDx talk "How I Learned to See Beyond My Sightlessness" has inspired global tech companies like Microsoft and Google to adopt his accessibility frameworks.

Recognitions include the Rolex Young Laureate Award (2024) and being named one of MIT Technology Review's Innovators Under 35 (Asia). His upcoming book Seeing Beyond Sight: Tech for Inclusive Futures (2025) will detail his philosophy of human-centric innovation. Recent projects include developing a braille-based coding curriculum now taught in 15 African countries through UNICEF partnerships.