Chennai for me is something unique, beyond its being a centre for sports, arts, culture, archaeology, libraries, movies, Science and Technology, and the world chess capital. It is an emancipation for me. A solution to my problems, a beacon for me and my family helping us move ahead on the path of survival and happy existence.
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Chennai has a wonderful feature in its very fabric. It is one of the most inclusive cities in India, for me. An inclusiveness that it offers to the differently-abled children and their families with a unique humanitarian support that can effortlessly embrace and integrate them into mainstream life.
I am personally overwhelmed by the support and encouragement that we are getting in Chennai for our special child, our daughter with Down Syndrome. I, a Bengali, and my wife, a Tamilian, both have been working for the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) at Bhilai, Chattisgarh, for three decades. That is where our daughter Vipasha was born and brought up. After our retirement in 2022, we decided to settle down in Chennai, mainly for all the support systems that are in place here for differently-abled children and their families and guardians. Yes, it was a massive and difficult shift for us — going from a place where we had all our roots, connections and emotional attachments to a new metropolis whose language I did not speak. Even for our special daughter it was initially very challenging to adjust to a metropolis lifestyle from having lived in a small township. But we were able to scale every adversity thanks to the sheer sensitivity and care my daughter was shown.
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Even while working for SAIL at Bhilai, we had requested and got a temporary three-year transfer to explore all possibilities for our daughter’s education and rehabilitation. Our stay in Chennai between 2005 to 2008 was a great eye-opener. They changed the course of our daughter’s life, and thereafter there was no looking back. She quickly learned how to cope with all her problems and move ahead in this challenging and competitive world.
We soon realised that Tamil Nadu and particularly Chennai was at the forefront of caring for the differently-abled not just in India but internationally. It was heart-warming to see the positive and helpful attitude of Government agencies such as DMS (Directorate of Rural and Medical Health Services) in Teynampet, the Spastics Society of Tamil Nadu at Taramani, the Government Peripheral Hospital in K.K. Nagar, the NIEPMD (National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities) at Muthukadu, etc.
Similarly, NGOs and other agencies such as the Down Syndrome Federation of India in Mylapore and Vidya Sagar on Ranjith Road are doing great service for the specially-abled and their families. The advice and guidance from all these agencies have helped my daughter live on a par with able-bodied normal individuals. She has successfully done her post-graduation in Mass Communication as a regular student from a regular university. She is now preparing to appear for all competitive exams for a suitable job.
Our three-year stay in Chennai was a great eye-opener and we have now settled down in Chennai, where public and private agencies are equally sensitive, be it the traffic police at toll gates or the caring and helpful policemen all over the city.