Amar Jyoti inspires confidence

Dr. Uma Tuli

Started as an experiment more than two decade ago, the integrated school run by the Amar Jyoti Research and Rehabilitation Centre in Delhi has become a model that is attracting much attention, not only in India but also in other parts of the world. Dr.Uma Tuli, the founder managing secretary of Amar Jyoti Charitable Trust, currently India’s Commissioner for Persons with Disability says disability should never be allowed to become a deterrent in enabling the disabled to participate fully in sports or any other activities. There is so much that they can contribute. All they need are opportunities to succeed in any field. This, in fact, has been shown regularly at the National Integrated Sports Meet organized by Amar Jyoti over the past several years. More recently, at the Regional and National level Abilympics organized in India in 2001 and 2002 over 3000 persons with disability from all over the country were able to show-case their vocational skills in November 2003. They would be competing with people with disabilities from over 50 countries at the 6th International Abilympics.

At Amar Jyoti school as the tempo of the music rises and the beat becomes more vigorous, the children on stage keep pace, going into the finale of the “Bhangra”, a lively Punjabi folk-dance. The enthusiastic audience clap in rhythm, encouraging their friends on stage who are performing breathtaking acrobatics. The show ends amid thunderous applause, the young performers having enjoyed it as much as the audience.

Soon it is recess time and the open space, the ‘quadrangle’, fills with the excited chatter and laughter of children at play. At one end, the archers are busy practicing. At the other, the crickets are batting. In another corner, boys are doing their hockey ‘dribbling’ practice. On the verandah, the young judo instructor is putting his pupils through their paces.

These are everyday scenes at the Amar Jyoti School at Karkardooma in Delhi. So, what is different about Amar Jyoti? Nothing, really – this is what one would expect to see at any good school anywhere in the world. And yet, it is the everyday air, the normal attitude, the lively spirit of the children that makes the Amar Jyoti School a special place. It is only when one takes a close look that one realizes that of the more than 400 children, 50 percent are differently abled – some call them disabled.

The ‘seed’ of the school was sown in the backyard of borrowed premises and the first group of 30 children, half of them with disabilities, studied under the shade of trees. All of the children came, as they still do, from underprivileged backgrounds and none could afford any schooling, let alone special attention.

The children with disabilities were either carried by their parents or had to crawl to school. Today, the Amar Jyoti workshop manufactures calipers and other aids. Children are fitted with the aids they need and are able to participate in any activity they choose.

These children have blossomed into young, responsible people, who are confident of undertaking any activity.

Education at the school, as with other facilities provided at Amar Jyoti, is free or highly susidised. The school caters for nursery to middle school level and integrated classes follow national courses. The academic standard is good and after middle school examinations, children go on to study in other schools in Delhi for their last four years of school. Slow learners have separate classes, but take part in cultural, sports and art and craft activities with the other children.

1995 was the first time in the history of India’s Republic Day Parade that children of Amar Jyoti performed their by now famous and highly acknowledged wheel-chair dance. As their specially built elevated stage went past the saluting base, the children received a standing ovation from the Presidential Box. Since then, disabled children performing at the Republic Day parade has become a regular feature.

Vocational training in carpentry, knitting and sewing, textile design and watch repairing is available under the guidance of experienced tutors.

Children receive the best possible medical attention. A voluntary orthopaedic doctor is on duty every day and they also have access to physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy facilities.

Amar Jyoti continues to look ahead. A workshop provides assistive devices and mobility appliances to the disabled with grant in aid received from the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India. To reach the unreached, Amar Jyoti also had community based rehabilitation projects in 30 urban slums of Delhi and also organizes periodic medical camps where all necessary services for rehabilitation of the persons with disabilities are provided as per needs.

For capacity building Amar Jyoti is running several courses of repute. A four and a half year course of B.Sc(Hons) in Physiotherapy in affiliation with University of Delhi, Diploma Course in Special Education (DSE-MR) affiliated to NIMH and recognized by the Rehabilitation Council of India and short term courses for in-service teachers are the popular ones at Amar Jyoti. In addition Amar Jyoti is also rendering distance mode courses in special education affiliated to Bhoj Open University of Madhya Pradesh. The institution is also a recognized study center for National Open School and Indira Gandhi National Open University courses.

Amar Jyoti is networking with several non-governmental organizations all over the country. Amar Jyoti with local NGOs like Akshay Prathishthan, National Associaiton for the Blind, Balwantrai Mehta School, Okhla center for Mentally Handicapped etc. is regularly organizing seminar, workshops, sports & cultural activities in addition to the regular inclusive education being provided at school.