Deaf & Dumb Field Report ( Atul Nanda)

On the day when I was returning back to Mumbai from kutch, I went to Adipur to see D & D Institute partly funded by VIDE. I went at around 4pm hoping to find classes in operation only to my disappointment to learn that on that day they got over by 2pm :( Luckily I was able to locate Mr. Joshi (Co-ordiator of the entire project and a friend of our deputy PM L. K. Advani) with some local help and he was kind enough to show me around the institute along with his sister who happens to be the principal of D&D. On the entrance is waiting a plaque with VIDE's name inscribed on it. Waiting because of some mis-spelling in the name and soon a corrected plaque will stand in its place testimony to the project funded by the VIDE. Its basically a 2 story building with ground floor having rooms housing equipments and material required by D&D impaired students and top floor having rooms to house equipments for their future project involving visually impaired students. Currently, if I remember correctly, around 70 D&D students are enrolled with the institute. Both the people explained me about the functionality of each rooms one housing sound proof structure with sound measurement instruments to judge the level to which a person is Deaf etc, other housing a library and multimedia catering to these student and still other housing an adjustment room where-in a new student installed with wireless hearing aid gets to learn and adjust himself to new environment of sound which we all take for granted ! They also showed me the old system and new VIDE funded system with induction coils embedded in each room and a special mike for a teacher to speak. As soon as the student is within the range of the room (s)he can hear sounds and teachings happening in the room wirelessly. On some of boards I could see a freshly written match the following by some students during their classes in morning. Again could feel the VIDE's energies at work even here ! On the top floor he showed me the instruments that will aid visually impaired students. Also they have a specially designed staircase which have yellow color on the railing and white stripes on steps. These were suggested by experts in visual fields and are known to help visually impaired students who see yellow and white more than anything other color. Mr. Josh is very enthusiastic about the results he has seen so far and is quite optimistic about the bright future of the institute. He showed me various picture of these students taking part in various cultural and artistic activities. He is pleased that his efforts are helping to make the abnormal life of these impaired fellow children more and more normal like any other child. He talked about the second installment. I explained him the reason for the delay and assured him fast response to this problem. After I reached Mumbai negotiated with SKBSST for the soonest possible delivery of this installment. Hopefully it would have reached to him by now. As a summary for this project visit. This is another project where VIDE has done the right investment in right cause.

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