Srinagar/ Aug.2004
National Institute of Visually Handicapped (NIVH) in Dehradun , Utranchal is an institute for visually handicapped treated one of the biggest blind educational cum training institutes in Asia. In the recent past I have a visit from Kashmir to the institute accompanying one closely related blind girl Hena (name changed) of 12 years age, to get her admitted in, for studies over there. It proved a Herculean task to get her parents motivated for the same. Tested heavily by Almighty, her parents were not been aware of anything, they could do for their elder daughter, born blind by birth . Father of Hena, M.Amin said “Once somebody a year back visited my home and confirmed about Hena that if she is blind of below 16 years of age, he will help us for her counseling and basic education and schooling at Regional Rehabilitation Center (CRC) Bemina Srinagar”. Hena was sent to CRC for which to and fro transport facility was provided by an NGO namely Human Efforts for Love and Peace (HELP), to which the man was associated as a field worker (her parents later came to know about the man).
I was aware of the fact that such kind of disabled children carry bundle of talent inside, particularly those who suffer from blindness has an extra edge of the memory, feelings and quick power of understanding as compared to the normal people. Amin confirmed my assumptions by saying, “I remember number of times my blind daughter taught me what I was unable to understand. She carries critic sense of every thing and sometimes advises me like I being her child and she my grand mother, but after joining CRC we saw a definite change in Hena, she was looking confident of sharing her mother’s domestic work, speaking Urdu, writing English and Hindi in Braille , enthusiastic to learn more and more, and an willingly for preparing herself in morning for going to CRC punctually”
Parents of Hena, though well qualified must not have the clear idea of her schooling facility till she told them that she will go to Dehradun Model School for studies and training. She was having a dream in her sightless eyes which was out of the imagination of her sighted and literate parents.
The day actually came when Hena had to leave for Dehradun, all in a smiling and willing mood. Parents prepare her to leave with tearful eyes and heart in their hands. Actually I insisted hard to accompany Hena for the journey, because her father and mother were too emotional with their melted hearts to leave her for years together in a boarding school. “Uncle tell my mom and dad that they will not weep or dishearten themselves after my departure, because I am leaving my lovely home to brighten my future by learning every thing through schooling”. Hena said to me in heavy mood while we departed from Srinagar in July this year.
It took us 28 hours in reaching Dehradun after a continuos hectic journey by bus from Srinagar and then by a train from Jammu to Saharanpur. Local buses ply between Saharanpur and Dehradun, the destination between the two being 85 kms. The road all along was ascending, so gaining height with all green farms on either side of the road. Reaching Dehradun we had to hire an auto for reaching NIVH at 116, Rajpur Road. The road leading towards Masoori ( a famous tourist resort of Utranchal) took us to the institute , 5 kms away from from Dehradun main city. Picturesque location of the institute, a broad-based campus in the backdrop of the Shivalik ranges gave me a sigh of relief and an imagination that all blind children really have a chance to build up their future prospects by getting admission in the highly facilitated Institute. Entering in the school premises one can see the words written in bold letters on the wall of model school“ The principal goals of education defined as, To create men who are capable of doing new things. Not simply repeating what other generations have done. Men who are creative, inventive and discoverers…… JEAN PAIGET .”
Mr. D.M. Gullati, Principal of the Model School, also a blind man told us to have lunch as soon as he confirmed our purpose. On the same day afternoon Hena was interviewed and medically checked up. She was given admission in 5th class and so I got engaged in getting some needful items for her permanent stay in the institute.
Meanwhile I met certain authorities of the Institute to know about its history and functioning. The main source of information was Director of the institute Dr. S.R.Shukla, a very polite and humble man, who while briefing about NIVH, revealed that the institute is giving special priority to J&K State because of huge sufferings in the disturbed state.
The institute has a well equipped health care dispensary also headed by Dr. J.P.N. Mishra. The man showed keen interest in confirming about the present Kashmir situation from me, when I accompanied Hena for medical check up in the dispensary. In the recreation cum sports centre situated in school premises, there seems scope for blinds to take part in different games like chess, cricket and athletics M. L.Mishra the sports incharge was very willing to share his views about the blind sports. He had remained the coach of National Blind cricket team that played the blind cricket world cup in the year 2002. Talking to various NIVH employees I got the brief about the institute as:
The origin of the national Institute of Visually handicapped is traced back to January 1, 1950. It was on that date the Government of India took over the St. Dunstan’s Hostel for the war blinded and renamed it as the training Center for the Adult Blind (men). Later on the activities in the field were further expanded and were amalgamated into national Center for the Blind in 1967.
“The year 1979 was a historic achievement in the growth and development of the services for the blind welfare when National center for the blind was elevated to the status of National Institute for the Visually handicapped. After two and half years, Ministry of Welfare granted full autonomy to the institute on 21st October 1982. The Institute is an apex body in the field of blind welfare in India and is considered to be the largest institute in Asia”. Revealed Dr. S.R.Shukla, Director NIVH.
He further stated that, “the objectives of the institute are :
1. Development of model services for visually handicapped.
2. Man power Development training.
3. Research and development.
4. Provision of consultancy service.
5. Education, Vocational Training and rehabilitation services.
6. Production of Educational and recreational aids appliances. and
7. Production and supply of Braille books and audiocassettes.
The Institution carries a model school for children below eight years of age and level of education in the school is from pre-schooling to XII standard with free boarding and lodging facilities. It also has a training centre for adult blinds of 18 to 40 years of age where both technical and non-technical courses of one year duration are offered. The Technical courses include light engineering, Electronics, computer operation and telephone operations, whereas non-technical wing disabled adults are taught, recaning of chairs, weaving, knitting, typing and Braille stenography. The aids and appliances in the institute carry educational aids like, Braille slate, Arithmetic slate, geometry kit, Abacus, Pocket frame, Braille scale and short hand machines. The recreational aids contain DraughtBoard, playing card, pegboard, chessboard and different puzzles.
Knowing all about the institute in just three days I was ready to depart from Dehradhun, leaving Hena for turning her dreams in to virtuality.
#########
National Institute of Visually Handicapped (NIVH) in Dehradun , Utranchal is an institute for visually handicapped treated one of the biggest blind educational cum training institutes in Asia. In the recent past I have a visit from Kashmir to the institute accompanying one closely related blind girl Hena (name changed) of 12 years age, to get her admitted in, for studies over there. It proved a Herculean task to get her parents motivated for the same. Tested heavily by Almighty, her parents were not been aware of anything, they could do for their elder daughter, born blind by birth . Father of Hena, M.Amin said “Once somebody a year back visited my home and confirmed about Hena that if she is blind of below 16 years of age, he will help us for her counseling and basic education and schooling at Regional Rehabilitation Center (CRC) Bemina Srinagar”. Hena was sent to CRC for which to and fro transport facility was provided by an NGO namely Human Efforts for Love and Peace (HELP), to which the man was associated as a field worker (her parents later came to know about the man).
I was aware of the fact that such kind of disabled children carry bundle of talent inside, particularly those who suffer from blindness has an extra edge of the memory, feelings and quick power of understanding as compared to the normal people. Amin confirmed my assumptions by saying, “I remember number of times my blind daughter taught me what I was unable to understand. She carries critic sense of every thing and sometimes advises me like I being her child and she my grand mother, but after joining CRC we saw a definite change in Hena, she was looking confident of sharing her mother’s domestic work, speaking Urdu, writing English and Hindi in Braille , enthusiastic to learn more and more, and an willingly for preparing herself in morning for going to CRC punctually”
Parents of Hena, though well qualified must not have the clear idea of her schooling facility till she told them that she will go to Dehradun Model School for studies and training. She was having a dream in her sightless eyes which was out of the imagination of her sighted and literate parents.
The day actually came when Hena had to leave for Dehradun, all in a smiling and willing mood. Parents prepare her to leave with tearful eyes and heart in their hands. Actually I insisted hard to accompany Hena for the journey, because her father and mother were too emotional with their melted hearts to leave her for years together in a boarding school. “Uncle tell my mom and dad that they will not weep or dishearten themselves after my departure, because I am leaving my lovely home to brighten my future by learning every thing through schooling”. Hena said to me in heavy mood while we departed from Srinagar in July this year.
It took us 28 hours in reaching Dehradun after a continuos hectic journey by bus from Srinagar and then by a train from Jammu to Saharanpur. Local buses ply between Saharanpur and Dehradun, the destination between the two being 85 kms. The road all along was ascending, so gaining height with all green farms on either side of the road. Reaching Dehradun we had to hire an auto for reaching NIVH at 116, Rajpur Road. The road leading towards Masoori ( a famous tourist resort of Utranchal) took us to the institute , 5 kms away from from Dehradun main city. Picturesque location of the institute, a broad-based campus in the backdrop of the Shivalik ranges gave me a sigh of relief and an imagination that all blind children really have a chance to build up their future prospects by getting admission in the highly facilitated Institute. Entering in the school premises one can see the words written in bold letters on the wall of model school“ The principal goals of education defined as, To create men who are capable of doing new things. Not simply repeating what other generations have done. Men who are creative, inventive and discoverers…… JEAN PAIGET .”
Mr. D.M. Gullati, Principal of the Model School, also a blind man told us to have lunch as soon as he confirmed our purpose. On the same day afternoon Hena was interviewed and medically checked up. She was given admission in 5th class and so I got engaged in getting some needful items for her permanent stay in the institute.
Meanwhile I met certain authorities of the Institute to know about its history and functioning. The main source of information was Director of the institute Dr. S.R.Shukla, a very polite and humble man, who while briefing about NIVH, revealed that the institute is giving special priority to J&K State because of huge sufferings in the disturbed state.
The institute has a well equipped health care dispensary also headed by Dr. J.P.N. Mishra. The man showed keen interest in confirming about the present Kashmir situation from me, when I accompanied Hena for medical check up in the dispensary. In the recreation cum sports centre situated in school premises, there seems scope for blinds to take part in different games like chess, cricket and athletics M. L.Mishra the sports incharge was very willing to share his views about the blind sports. He had remained the coach of National Blind cricket team that played the blind cricket world cup in the year 2002. Talking to various NIVH employees I got the brief about the institute as:
The origin of the national Institute of Visually handicapped is traced back to January 1, 1950. It was on that date the Government of India took over the St. Dunstan’s Hostel for the war blinded and renamed it as the training Center for the Adult Blind (men). Later on the activities in the field were further expanded and were amalgamated into national Center for the Blind in 1967.
“The year 1979 was a historic achievement in the growth and development of the services for the blind welfare when National center for the blind was elevated to the status of National Institute for the Visually handicapped. After two and half years, Ministry of Welfare granted full autonomy to the institute on 21st October 1982. The Institute is an apex body in the field of blind welfare in India and is considered to be the largest institute in Asia”. Revealed Dr. S.R.Shukla, Director NIVH.
He further stated that, “the objectives of the institute are :
1. Development of model services for visually handicapped.
2. Man power Development training.
3. Research and development.
4. Provision of consultancy service.
5. Education, Vocational Training and rehabilitation services.
6. Production of Educational and recreational aids appliances. and
7. Production and supply of Braille books and audiocassettes.
The Institution carries a model school for children below eight years of age and level of education in the school is from pre-schooling to XII standard with free boarding and lodging facilities. It also has a training centre for adult blinds of 18 to 40 years of age where both technical and non-technical courses of one year duration are offered. The Technical courses include light engineering, Electronics, computer operation and telephone operations, whereas non-technical wing disabled adults are taught, recaning of chairs, weaving, knitting, typing and Braille stenography. The aids and appliances in the institute carry educational aids like, Braille slate, Arithmetic slate, geometry kit, Abacus, Pocket frame, Braille scale and short hand machines. The recreational aids contain DraughtBoard, playing card, pegboard, chessboard and different puzzles.
Knowing all about the institute in just three days I was ready to depart from Dehradhun, leaving Hena for turning her dreams in to virtuality.
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