It was a jubilant and memorable occasion for current students and alumni of Bala Vidyalaya, a school for children with hearing impairment, which celebrated its crystal jubilee here on Friday.
Founded in 1969 with five students and two teachers, the school marched on to provide early intervention to 700 students over four decades. Nearly 95 per cent of the children admitted to the school have been mainstreamed. From 2001, the institution has trained about 150 teachers. Presiding over the function, former President of India A.P.J. Abdul Kalam lauded the organisation for bringing about a change in the lives of the children with hearing impairment and boosting their self-confidence.
Observing that the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, Vishakapatnam, was finalising the process of manufacturing cochlear implant, he said the school must get in touch with the lab to get the device for the benefit of the children.
Anna University Vice-Chancellor Mannar Jawahar said that instead of sympathising with such children, people must strive to build self-confidence in them.
Prof. Jawahar said Dr. Kalam has donated Rs.1 lakh towards the school on behalf of a foundation that he heads.
R.K. Swamy, Chief of Staff, HQ Southern Command, Pune, said several other centres sought assistance of the school to support similar initiatives.
Hari Mahalingam, engineering college professor and alumni and Prema Jayakumar, mother of Praveen, a student who is soon to be mainstreamed in a school, shared their experiences.
Certificates were distributed to teachers for their ten years of dedicated service. The school’s honorary director Saraswathi Narayanaswamy, honorary principal Valli Annamalai and vice principal Meera Suresh participated.
