Twinning in their passion to empower people with disabilities
The Hindu
Twin Twigs, run by brothers Sriram and Sunder Ram, offers handicrafts made by people with disabilities
It all started with the bauhinia leaves. Ten years ago, Sunder Ram and Sriram Ramesh, 30-year-old twin brothers with cerebral palsy, a congenital neurological impairment, discovered a business idea in the mantharai plant. Dried, stitched by hand, and moulded by a machine, these leaves could be used as cups, saucers, plates, bowls and tumblers. Not only would they smell good, but they would also be eco-friendly. And most important of all, the business would help the twins become self reliant. In January 2021, Sunder and Sriram realised their dream by opening a gift shop of products made by people with disabilities, under the brand name, Twin Twigs, in Navallur.The fear of being caught for traffic rule violation has indeed compelled many two-wheeler riders to wear helmets. But one cursory look at riders at any traffic junction in Bengaluru shows that more than half the riders have on their heads non-standard helmets, designed solely to evade the eye of law, with little concern for the safety of their own heads.
When Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997, Beijing promised to retain the city’s Western-style civil liberties for 50 years. However, since the introduction of the 2020 law, Hong Kong authorities have severely limited free speech and assembly under the rubric of maintaining national security.