Challenged by the Challenged!!

A visit to the Spastic Society of Karnataka in Indiranagar, Bangalore makes one wonder who are the ones who are actually challenged! As you enter, what strikes you most is the happy 'family' setup that these talented kids are a part of. The scene is so surreal that you almost fail to notice that these kids are challenged in some ways.

The Spastics Society of Karnataka started off as a branch of the Spastics Society of India in 1982. The Society went on to become autonomous in 1994. This NGO is dedicated to the welfare of persons with Neuro-Muscular Disorders and Developmental Disabilities. Neuro-Muscular Disorders affect the nerves controlling one's voluntary muscles like the ones in the arm's and legs. When the neurons or nerve cells are damaged or killed, the communication with the nervous system and the muscles breaks down, leading to movement disorders and cerebral palsy. The Spastics Society of Karnataka is run under the Directorship of Mrs. Rukmini Krishnaswamy and Mrs. Priya Rao being its Principal. Circumstances prevented us from meeting these two people, who've been like a backbone to this society.

Located on a 5-acre plot donated by the Government of Karntaka, the campus houses a school building, a fully equipped multi-specialty hospital, a canteen, a bakery and a playground. The Multi-specialty Hospital has many services like the Diagnostic Research Center, Speech Therapy, Community Based Rehabilitation & Outreach Services, and Clinical Psychology & Educational Unit etc. The school also boasts of its own canteen and bakery where the mouth watering aromas of the plum cakes and the muffins emanate.

The Spastics Society of Bangalore is almost like any other school with similar routines that include the morning assembly, the recess time, etc. The Monday morning assembly held in their quadrangle offers a platform for the students to showcase their talents. The day begins with a ritual morning prayer, news reading, a nursery song, a patriotic song and concludes with the National Anthem.

A very proud Mrs. Kairaili Nair – The vice Principal of the Spastics Society – spoke to us Paulites about her school and the various courses and programs it has on offer for its students. The coursework is in accordance with the guidelines set by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) board which has recently received the Government's approval. In this scheme, the students appearing for the 10th and 12th standard board examinations are allowed to write a minimum of one paper a year and complete the required five papers over five years. The NIOS scheme of education is very student friendly and especially convenient to challenged students. It permits a student to enlist the help of a volunteer-scribe during the examinations and also provides extra time for writing. The NIOS Board caters not just to physically- and mentally-challenged children, but also to economically- and financially-challenged students.

The Medical Diagnostic Research Center houses a team of dedicated doctors and skilled paramedical professionals who provide the children with excellent care and timely medical aid. The Diagnostic Research Center is the entry point to the Spastics Society of Karnataka. When a child is referred to the centre, a social worker attends to the child and builds the file of her medical history. The doctors conduct a series of examinations and evaluations on the child to help them identify the specific individual requirements of the child. The assessments would cover IQ Tests, emotional and behavioral aspects for children and adults between 7 and 21 years of age. Thus, they are able to place the child into the progr

amme best suited for her development. Unfortunately, we were unable to get a guided tour of the Research Center.Mrs. Nair explained that the students' progress is continuously monitored. Every student goes through a monthly examination conducted by the specialized team of doctors at the Medical Development Department. Inspite of all the treatment and therapies, if a student fails to show advances in his academics, he may be shifted to a non-formal method of education. Here, the student is taught simple life skills, social & emotional adjustment, and pre-vocational training for students between the ages 10-14 years.In this institution, teachers interact with their students on a One-To-One basis. The institution also throws open its doors to any person who wishes to volunteer. Volunteers may help individual students with their lessons, along with the Special Educator for that Standard. People who are complete strangers to the students, volunteer to act as their scribes during the board examinations. The Spastics Society also has a Family Support Service wherein they support the families of children with special needs. Emotional support and information is also provided to parents of challenged children.

Karthik, a brilliant 10th-standard student, is one of the gems of the Spastics Society. Although he suffers from cerebral palsy, he is a cheery soul, moving around in a wheel chair, with the help of his classmates. Karthik opted to study the more 'challenging' subjects like Physics and Mathematics all by himself. He is the first to do so! He has already cleared his Physics examination. In fact, this bright lad coolly defeated two Standard-XII Paulites in a game of Hangman!

The school is also proud to have a Standard-XII pass out -- J Krishna Kumar, an excellent painter who is also affected by cerebral palsy. Krishna Kumar has completed a course in Animations and is now awaiting a job placement.The institution has also produced a winner at the International Special Olympics conducted in Shanghai in October 2007. Raghu, who had gone to China with the Indian Contingent, bagged the Bronze medal in Power-lifting. He is also a Gold Medalist in the National Special Olympics.

The school has around 150 students. There are 21 children aged 3-9 years who are part of the Play Group, 7 students in the LKG, 11 students in the UKG, 3 students in the III Standard, 5 students in the IV Standard, 18 in X Standard. There are also 10 students currently in the XII, five of whom are studying Political Science and five, Home Science. There are also several other differently challenged students who are being trained in vocational activities like Tailoring, Baking, Cooking, Creative Arts and Secretarial Training.

The school also has a creative arts section comprising of 17 students under the guidance of Mrs. Shanmora. The creative arts section takes orders for making hand-made boxes, envelopes, earthen lamps, greeting cards and paintings for many multi-national companies like DELL, Mindtree and Sun Microsystems. The society also raises funds by selling their articles in exhibitions.

The Spastics Society of Karnataka has entered into a partnership with PACER Center and IBM India to start the Center for Assistive Technology. Assistive Technology is that which helps the differently abled to communicate and participate in their day-to-day activities more effectively. On this occasion, Mary Pawlenty - First Lady of the state of Minnesota USA, Shanker Annaswamy - Managing Director of IBM India, and Bridget Annes - Coordinator of PACER Center, had visited the school. The Center for Assistive Technology is expected to become functional from early next year.

The Spastics Society of Karnataka has come a great way in the line of helping the challenged. No child in this institution is given a chance to be reminded of their challenges, but in fact is stimulated to participate actively in their environment and help prevent further developmental delays and disabilities! It truly makes one wonder whether these students are still challenged or have they overcome it already!
- Nadig.

Elixirs of Life!

It is strange... when people claim they have no attachments in their life and proudly say that they can live without almost anything. But the actual test comes when we have to stay without that "most wanted", when it goes out of our hands even before we realize what’s happening. Especially when it goes out of our hands by some authoritative force!!! Life takes an unannounced twist completely! We might try keeping our cool and try with all our efforts to keep up the false impression to others, that there is absolutely no tension caused inside us due to the significant absence of that thing. But later when we ask ourselves, we do get this deep sick feeling inside us that no matter how hard we try to distract ourself, we still look for that thing and feel the uncomfortable absence of that object. We even realize that not even a decimal amount of what we used to claim is true. Continuing in the same lines, we start looking at life as long term imprisonment, and get panicky and worried just by wondering how life can even be possible, without our beloved article! For the first few days of this imprisonment, you can’t think about anything else apart from how life was actually heaven and we took it for granted when we had the liberty to enjoy our article to our fullest! Still, as days goes by, we start feeling how trivial our “most wanted” article is. Life surely has taken a twist. Other things seem more interesting than our tiny article which was our main source of amusement once upon a time! We laugh at how silly the desperation towards our article was! We go off into our boasting mood again and then start telling, how we actually are living without our attachment and get back to our words. As days advances, we even forget that we happened to own something which we valued the most and then realize that it was a mere addiction and not sentimental attachment! Confused becomes the state of our minds when it is time to get back our 'most wanted’ possession from its custody! Everything seems so new and outside when it finally reaches our hands from its term of imprisonment! We get back to treasuring our article hoping not to get it as an addiction but you know what is likely to happen over the days ....and then we are back to strangeness…..!!

To relate it on a personal experience, this is exactly what I experienced when my cell phone got confiscated in school for a week.

Your comments are most welcome.
- Nadig