In all, 163 students of All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH) received their certificates on completion of their courses on the Graduation Day programme held here on Tuesday.
This included 71 candidates who completed their graduation, 88 candidates who completed their post-graduation and 4 scholars who completed their PhD. Of these 12 candidates also received various gold medals instituted by the alumnae and philanthropists.
N.K. Lokanath, Vice Chancellor, University of Mysore, delivered the Graduation Day address and lauded the services of AIISH since its inception in 1966 and said that the Institute started operations with 1 PG department and has expanded immensely since then. He said communication disorders are a huge problem in the society and before the establishment of AIISH, people lived with them in the absence of any remedy.
Prof. Lokanath said as a result of communication disorders people suffered from an inferiority complex and they hardly socialised as they feared the ridicule of their fellow citizens which resulted in a wall being erected between the patients and their family and the outside world. But thanks to AIISH, innumerable individuals have overcome their lacunae and have received education imparted at the Institute and are beading a normal life, he said.
Appreciating the multi-disciplinary approach adopted by AIISH in teaching and treating, Prof. Lokanath said AIISH has earned a place as among the best institutes dedicated to tackling communication disorders not only in India but also in many parts of the world.
Underlining the importance of empowering the weak, Prof. Lokanath said it was imperative to build a strong society and one cannot discard or ignore the weak as a burden and discount them as unproductive. ‘’AIISH has proved beyond doubt that if the disorders and lacunae are remedied on time, the individuals can lead a normal life on par with people without any disabilities and disorders’’, he added.
C.S. Vanaja, Principal, School of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, Bharathi Vidyapeeth University, Pune, M. Pushpavathi, Director, AIISH, and others were present.
