Visually impaired students at Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University (DSMNRU), Lucknow, will now be able to use their sense of smell to move around campus, thanks to a first-of-its-kind initiative called Sugandh Path.

Launched on World Environment Day (June 5), the project involves planting aromatic, seasonal flowering plants along different campus routes to guide students through scent-based navigation, as reported by The Times of India.

“Our gardening team will strategically place flowers with distinct fragrances on specific routes so that visually impaired students can identify and follow them,” said DSMNRU Vice-Chancellor Prof Sanjay Singh. 

“This will help them confidently move from one department to another,” he added.

Each route will have its own floral scent, for instance, Gandharaj near Academic Building 01, Madhukamini at Academic Building 02, Manokamini near the Administrative Building, Bela near the library, Chameli around the Faculty of Engineering, and Harsingar near the bank.

In the first phase, plants are being placed along the route from the hostel trisection to the academic buildings.

“This innovative effort not only builds independence but also fosters a stronger connection with nature,” the VC added.

Prof Avnish Chandra Mishra, Chairman of Campus Development, along with the VC, Registrar Rohit Singh, and several deans and faculty members, planted the first saplings as part of the inauguration.