They have been waiting for some time for the guest to arrive, yet the children with special abilities showed no signs of fatigue at Dakshinya Institute for the Mentally Handicapped, as Rainer Bush, general director of Newco Leaf Asia, trooped in the hall.
Eager and excited to show their drawings and paintings, the children could not hide their glee when Mr. Bush began clicking snap shots with his camera.
Mr. Rainer did not disappoint them as he promised to help the institute provide better amenities.
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T.V. Rao, who founded the institute in 1996, said that they have been trying to meet the educational needs of children with different abilities for the last 16 years. The institute has 160 children with special needs and recently another school for children was started.
The institute won the National Award for Child Welfare in 2011.
Dr. Rao said that the idea to start an institute has been with him ever since he had lost his two daughters, Madhavi Latha and Priya both of them mentally incapacitated.
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“I wanted my institute to be a ray of hope for such unfortunate children. These children are often stigmatised and abused both at home and in society,’’ said Dr. Rao.
Mr. Bush said that he was looking forward to help the institute.
Board member of the institute, Nayub Kamal, directors of Newco Leaf India, S. Ramkumar and Hemanth were also present.