VAIBHAV PARWAT
Aurangabad, Feb 13:
Love is beautiful, love is happiness and love is also blind. For Shivam Tayde and Veena Tayde, this stands true more than anyone else. Shivam is 90 per cent visually specially-abled and Veena is 100 per cent visually impaired. “Disability is not a curse, but an episode of life which will pass if you have courage, willpower, and a right platform,” says Shivam.
Shivam had a perfect vision till Class 9. However, he lost 90 per cent of vision due to the flu in his eyes at the age of 16. After six years of continuous pain and suffering, he was cared for in an association for the blind, Pune, where he also met his love Veena.
Shivam recalls his first meeting with Veena with a smile. For him, it was really surprising to see her positivity and confidence. “She was always smiling and taking a stand for what is right," he says. He talked about how Veena, as a student, had fought for provisions for blind students in her college. She had finished her MBA program with great laurels. “All these positive things about Veena made me fall in love with her. It wasn't love at first sight though," Shivam laughs, "We wanted to settle down first and then decide about getting married."
In 2012, the couple decided to get married and settled in city. Shivam is a musician and singer. While Veena is working towards becoming a voiceover artist. When we asked what love means for them, they laughed and said love is not perfection, it is a feeling, it is care which bonds two people.