On the occasion of International Day of Disabled Persons 2022, The Hindu visits the Association for the Mentally Challenged (AMC) in Bengaluru, which is India’s second oldest organisation for children with special needs. It aims to promote development, independence, economic sufficiency, community inclusion, self-determination of persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD), along with empowerment of their families, through coordinated services of training, research, technical assistance and dissemination activities.
AMC was founded in 1960 by Dr. D. L.N. Murthy Rao, then Director of All India Institute of Mental Health (now NIMHANS). AMC is a one-of-a-kind institution providing life-long support to individuals with IDDs, and working with the principal goal of improving the quality of life of these persons
and their families. It is the oldest institution of its kind in Karnataka, and a national-level NGO caring for individuals with special needs throughout their life cycle.
AMC facilities include a special school for children with IDD, multi-category vocational training centre, sheltered workshop, day care centre for the severely affected, and Samruddhi (a programme to strengthen and enrich the families of the beneficiaries). AMC supplies uniforms, bags, shoes, vitamin supplements, and nutritious lunch every day, and transport facility for everyday commute for beneficiaries.
