Tatler Weekend: Dr Mona Minkara’s inspiring journey as a blind scientist

As our plane taxied at Changi Airport, a collective groan rippled through the cabin. I, too, was guilty of this reaction. The cause of our annoyance? What we saw—or rather, didn’t see—outside the window: no aerobridge. No one spoke, but everyone’s eyes screamed the same thought: “Really? In this day and age? A bumpy bus ride to the terminal at the world’s best airport?” The plane had landed, but our collective blood pressure had soared. Who needs these travel hassles?

In this weekend’s Editor’s pick, we feature an avid traveler who shares how she overcomes travel hassles as she journeys across continents. Her challenges, however, are far more significant than missing aerobridges—she lost her vision at age seven. From the heights of Machu Picchu to the depths of the underwater world in the Philippines, Dr Mona Minkara tackles unique situations with remarkable resilience. So much so, she has a YouTube channel to help blind travelers called “Planes, Trains and Canes.”

But that’s not all—Dr Minkara is also a leading researcher at Boston’s Northeastern University, and her website offers research tools for blind scientists.

She lives by a brilliant motto “Vision is more than sight.”

Next time I find myself without an aerobridge, I’ll remember Dr Mona Minkara, and I’m sure my blood pressure will thank me for it.

Enjoy Tatler Weekend!

Parminder Singh

Parminder Singh
Chief Operating Officer

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