From introspection to clarity, Anirban Mukherjee’s voice flits as he reflects on his years as a student active in politics, in Hooghly district—a two-hour drive from Kolkata. Since he transitioned into a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in 2010, he has actively taken part in election campaigning. “It was an era of upheaval in West Bengal, and the CPI (M) faced the brunt, a tough time to be a party member. But I remained undeterred,” says the 39-year-old government school teacher.

People outside the realm of politics expressed concern about his safety; Mukherjee has complete blindness. “But the party itself has never discriminated against me. I think a cricket analogy fittingly explains my place in it: Disabled persons in politics may be team players, but they will scarcely be made captain,” he says.