2 july-dec. 2006 - family of disabled...

2F O DJuly-Dec. 2006 The VOICE of FOD2 FODJuly-Dec. 2006 The VOICE of FOD

3FODJuly-Dec. 2006 The VOICE of FOD3FODJuly-Dec. 2006 The VOICE of FOD

Editorial 5

Good Things Come in Small Packages 6

Preeti Johar & Udetta Chopra

Celebrating Differences... 9

Dr. Navneet Sethi

The Life Song 11

A poem by Ashish Saxena

The Teacher, Ultimate 12

Reema Bansal

Universal Design... 13

Sanil Kumar

Think before you Honk 15

Compiled by Kumud Mohan

Being Airborne 16

The Voice...

Good Questions, Better Answers 18

Anjali Arora

Adversities Make us Strong 20

Jagdish Gandhi

Childhood Redeemed 21

Sandhya Sharma

Barrier-free Transport... 22

Sanjeev Sachdeva & Anjlee Agarwal

The Menacing Polio 24

K.B. Mahajan

How Amazing? 26

Questions and Answers 27

News 28

Book Review 41

Classifieds 41

Looking Back 42

CONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTSCONTENTS

Cover Page : Singing prodigy DiwakarSharma

THE

voiceOF FOD

Editor and PublisherRajinder Johar

Sub-editorsPreeti Johar

Rubina Mohan

MembersMrinalini DayalRachna YadavR.S. Bhandari

Swaran Gambhir

Karnataka Chapter418, Ist Main, Ist Block,

R.T. Nagar, Bangalore-560032Tel: 080-23330200, 23535787

Fax : 26615101E-mail: [email protected]

Coordinator : Ali Khwaja

Editorial and FOD Registered OffceB-1/500, Janakpuri,

New Delhi-110058, IndiaTel: 91-11-25597328, 41570140

E-mail: [email protected]: www.familyofdisabled.org

Printed byGraphic Syndicate

A-31, Naraina Industrial AreaNew Delhi-110 027Tel: 011-32968355

The views and opinions expressed in thisissue are of authors themselves.

Our sincere thanks to the members,volunteers, supporters and well wishers ofFOD for their continuing preciousassistance in running its existing projectsand launching the new ones.

There is only one success - to be able to spend your life in your own way.Christopher Morley

The ‘huddle’ in football was first formed around a deaf football player who had to use sign language tocommunicate and his team didn’t want the opposition to see the signs he used and hence encircled him.

5FODJuly-Dec. 2006 The VOICE of FOD

Disability along with poverty is one of the causes compelling people into begging — so very prevalent inIndia. Prominent religious places, railway and bus-stations and busy traffic intersections are the most frequentedbegging spots.

Begging is considered a comfortable way to easy money. The profession has become lucrative to the extentthat prospective beggars do not hesitate to get their limbs amputated after paying the doctor handsomely.Many such cases were reported from Ghaziabad in August this year and action is being taken against thesurgeon who performed these operations.

Since every religion preaches to give alms to the disadvantaged, the begging community takes full advantageof the same. Disabled beggars not only are able to generate sympathy in the hearts of the donors by makingtheir deformity or disability prominently visible but also succeed in generating good amount of money.According to a study done by the Delhi Police, a beggar earns at certain important temples about Rs 400/-to Rs 500/- a day and almost double the amount on days like Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. A mafia issaid to be controlling the profession.

All measures to check begging have remained unsuccessful. Even the Bombay Prevention Of Begging Act(1959) which is also applicable in Delhi has miserably failed to yield the desired results. The trait of beggingpercolates down the generation. The methods used to rehabilitate them need to be reviewed.

Proving right the saying- “Exceptions are always there,” Dharamveer, who begged till the age of 35 waselected gram pradhan (village headman) in the last panchayat elections. He worked hard to bring aboutunprecedent infrastructural changes in his village Khai Khadi, in Muzaffarnagar (UP) within a year. Functioningstreetlights, repaired roads, covered drains, etc. are testimony of Dharamveer’s work. This example shouldbe emulated.

To discourage and eliminate begging, every citizen must play a crucial role by not submitting themselves tosympathy-generating gestures of the beggars. If anyone desires to make a charity they should do it to theorganisations working in the field rather than to an individual beggar.

Why we rarely find old people begging because there are several homes for the aged patronised by government,NGOs and philanthropists, whereas, even in a place like Delhi it is hard to find a single sheltered place forphysically disabled people whether beggar or otherwise.

Arpita Ghosh extended her valued help in bringing outthis issue of The Voice...

Look for the good in every person and every situation. You’ll almost always find it.Bria Tracy


Being first runner-up in Zee TV’s Sa Re Ga Ma Li’lChamps, you have now become a celebrity, how doyou take this achievement?Yes, a kind of celebrity. Everybody in the school now talksabout the show. It feels good to be here. Initially it was likea fairytale, even now it feels good, but now I have becomeaccustomed to the attention showered on me.

When did you realise you can sing? Is anybody in yourfamily into singing/ music? Since how long have youbeen doing the Riyaaz? How much time you devote toit everyday? Who is your Guru?I have been singing since the age of 2. On my mother’sside, we had classical singers.My mother’s father, his father,the whole lineage, all were intosinging. I have been doing theriyaaz for almost ten yearsnow i.e. since the time I startedlearning it. Though, I try mybest to do it everyday, butthere are times, when I missit.I started learning at the age of4 from Sh. Onkarji. He taughtme at my place till I was 7. Iam learning classical singing

preparation you made? Have you been participatingin other contests before Li’l champs happened? Do yousing at school functions and competitions as well?The auditions were in Delhi, but when we contacted themwe were informed that the auditions are over so next daywe flew to Mumbai to give audition. Though, I was notprepared at all, I got selected. I guess there are certainthings which are overlooked during the time of auditionI have participated in many competitions including inter-school solo singing competitions, and always brought thetrophy to school.

You were on TV every week for about three months.How was it facing a hugeaudience and the camerawhile eyes of the wholenation fixed on you?The competition was reallytough in Li’l Champs, theaudience was verydemanding but supportingtoo. They were brandishingthe posters and shouting“Diwakar, Diwakar,” it isnatural to feel motivated andperform at top of your voice.I like performing in front oflive audience. At times myThe Li’l Champs (L to R) : Diwakar (Ist runner up),

Sanchita (winner), Sameer (2nd runner up)for the past 3 years from Pt.Baldev Raj in New Delhi who throat went totally berserk.

But when you perform, you just forget completely.

Out of the whole lot of contestants, were you sure thatyou will be one of the three Li’l champs.Once I passed the audition stage, I was sure I will win, asI enjoy such kind of shows and perform well. Here, I wasthe first runner up. But, I and Sameer (second runner up in

belongs to Indore gharana, who also has tutored Sh.Onkarji. For light music, I have been going to Ms. PoonamTalwar in Gurgaon for the past 2 years. I happen to be heronly shishya.

When did you come to know about the contest andhow was the selection done. Did you make any specific

India ranks among the world’s top 10 obese nations with a whopping120 million urbanites qualifying as ‘seriously obese’

Diet, Nutrition and Prevention of Chronic Disease Report (2004), WHO

Diwakar Sharma, born in 1992 to Sunil and Dr. Alka Sharma, was diagnosed with optic nerve atrophywhen he was all of 3 months. Presently studying in standard six at DPS, R.K. Puram, New Delhi, he isalready a name to reckon with. Preeti Johar and Udetta Chopra in conversation with Pogo child ofthe year 2005 and 14-yr-old first runner up at TV show Li’l Champs about his journey till now and hisplans for the future


Li’l Champs) have become best of buddies, it was a healthycompetition.

Are you satisfied with the final result of the contest?Tell us something about the judgesI wasn’t contended with the result exactly. First runner upis a very good position but it is just that you have someexpectations from those sealed envelopes. I wanted to bethe first one… badly. I couldn’t keep a grip on myself andreacted to it off the camera. I would just like to say thatsympathy votes can take you a step ahead, but not makeyou win such a big contest.

Bappi Lahiri always liked me, by the end of the contest hewas my mentor and I got a great opportunity of singingwith him on the show.

Which was the most difficult song to perform and howdid you overcome it?I prepared this song for one of the episode, Bulla ke janamain kaun. Even now I mix up all the lyrics. Gosh! Theyare so tough. I like the way Rabbi Shergill has sung it but ithas a very difficult composition as far as lyrics areconcerned. In the end, forunately or unfortunately, due tocircumstances beyond my control, I couldn’t perform it.

What type of songs you enjoy singing the most (sad,romantic, peppy numbers, classical, etc.)? Do you haveinterest in classical music?

Do you also play any musical instrument?I can play guitar and harmonium, in fact I am lookingforward to my formal classes in guitar in western acoustic.

What was your routine in Mumbai during the days ofcontest? How was the environment different from thatin Delhi?We were putting up quite far from the studio in Mumbaiand hence had to leave quite early in the morning in orderto avoid getting stuck in the infamous.

My mother being doctor would always be with me, to takecare of my physical health especially my throat. She wouldcarry everything with her — a variety of medicines, steroidsand even steamer. It was quite a stressful period for me;you never know when these things might come handy. Onceinside the studio1, I was on my own, I had to face theaudience and the judges alone. My father always used tobe by my side to encourage me and to cater to myrequirements and my mother would be in the green room.We were also required to change attires for different song.It was quite tiresome for whole of the family, but in the endit was all worth it.

All the three champs (Sanchita, Sameer and yourself)met famous personalities like former prime ministerAtal Bihari Vajpayee, Lata Mangeshkar, ShahrukhKhan and galaxy of playback singers, musicians,lyricists, etc. What was your reaction?I had always dreamt of meeting these people. After that, Ihave often talked with Vajpayeeji, and in fact I have methim a number of times at his residence. His sister, Mrs.Kaul is also sweet. He is like my grandfather.

Who is your favorite singer? Which is your favorite

Slow romantic numbersare my favourite.Contrary to others’ tasteI like HimeshReshamiya’s numbers. Idon’t find his tone nasal,Reshamiya lays emphasison words. Though I likeclassical music but youjust can’t perform them onscreen, you have got tohave a different kind ofaudience for that.

You sang a Punjabi songon Li’l Champs. Do yousing in other languagesas well?I can sing in English, Hindiand Punjabi

Diwakar... performing in oneof the episodes of Li’l Champs

... with Shaan, anchor of Li’l Champs

If I have the belief that I can do it, I will surely acquire the capacity to do it,even if I may not have it at the beginning.

Mahatma Gandhi


song?Lata Mangeshkar. Her songs Ae mere watan ke logon,Tere liye hum hain jiye from Veer Zaara are my favorites.Shaan is also good.

You are a brilliant student securing above ninetypercent marks. How do you balance both, singing andstudies? Since you are good at both, what would beyour call as career?No, it has always been above 95 % I have alwaysperformed well academically. Earlier, tutor used to cometo home to teach me until my mom learned the concept –the format and pattern to be followed to teach me andnow has mastered it. Gradually, I also have build theconfidence and can balance between singing and studiesquite well. It is rather difficult for mom to teach my youngerbrother, Dinkar.

With the advent of computers things have become easier.Earlier, she had to read out a lesson to me again and again,now the computer reads it out to me and later on sheclarifies my doubts, if any. Only polishing is required.Software to read out the screen like Jaws for English andSafa (Screen Access For All)for Hindi have been installed inmy PC. We have downloadedall the books in it evenMathematics.

I had to miss classes for 6months. On joining back, ittook me sometime to adjustbut I know I will surely copeup with it.

As for my career, I will go forsinging for sure. This is whereI belong to.

What are your favorite subjects in studies?Mathematics puts me to sleep. Science, history, geographyare my favourite.

It is said that music has its soothing effect on the singer.Do you think it has helped you in any way?Yes, music is a great stress buster and lifts up the mood.Devotional songs give me more satisfaction. The slownumbers also calm me.

How will the prize money of Rs 10 lakh from the Li’l

champs be used?They are safe in the bank right now. I will think about itonce I am through with my studies.

Now, from here to where? Has the life changed inanyway after gaining so much of name and fame?After the Li’l Champs, I have become more focused. Ihave found the path now. Now people recognise me. InRaipur, Police had to lathi charge, because the audiencewas getting out of control and wanted to touch me.

Have you received any offer for playback singing?Would you consider, it comes your way?I have already been promised a song by Ismile Darbar, asand when he finds a suitable one for me. Yes, I wouldconsider it as I intend to take it as my career and give it mybest shot.What was the reaction of your teachers, friends andclassmates when you attended school after a gap of 6months?I have always been a pampered student, loved by one andall in my school. They are all ecstatic at this achievement.

What kind of chemistry doyou share with your brother,Dinkar? Does he feel leftout as you are in thelimelight now?Because of this stint, both myparents were with me inMumbai, Dinkar, 8, is quiteaccommodating and stayedback with our grandparents intheir absence. His studieshave suffered a lot becausemom wasn’t around to scold

Winners with the judges — Alka Yagnik and Abhijeet him. Dinkar is too naughty andwe keep fighting but I do love him. Since I have returnedfrom Mumbai, we don’t fight that much. I guess, Li’lChamps gave time to both of us to miss each other.

Dinkar has now even started realising about my visualimpairment and fetches things for me, holds my hand toshow me the way. He asked mom the other day, can thishappen to Santa Claus as well? If so, then how will hedistribute the gifts?

Preeti is sub-editor of The Voice... and Udetta isconsultant with different NGOs

q

Haemophilia affects one in every 10,000 males across the world.Usually only males are active sufferers, females being the carriers

Haemophilia Federation of India


Is the difference in the physical form to be celebrated or tobe rejected? Is difference of form extended to include thedifference in the colour of the skin-BLACK ? What doesit mean to be a differently coloured person in the UnitedStates of America? Do differences impose a condition ofbeing cast outside the acceptable norms, norms of physicalwholeness, of beauty of skin, of social stature and of youth.

The citation of the NobelPrize for Literatureawarded to Prof. ToniMorrison in 1993 statedProf. Morrison as one,“who in novels characterisedby visionary force andpoetic import, gives life to anessential aspect of Americanreality.” As an AfricanAmerican, Morrison createsin her writings experiencesthat understand the struggleto be human in a society inwhich the colour of the skinhas been seen as a sign of someone being less than humanand which is why African people brought in as slaves toAmerica in 16th century had to undergo a traumatic historyof torture before freedom could be claimed as their birthright.

The Bluest Eye (1970), as Morrison’s first novel focusedon the tragic wish of a black girl to be gifted with ‘blueeyes.’ The novel shows that the roots of this dehumanising

wish in the child can be traced to the club footed mother,Pauline. The novelist highlights the gaps in the relationshipbetween mother and daughter to have resulted becausePauline underwent severe emotional neglect as a childdue to her physical challenge. Morrison emphasises that itis not the colour of skin or the club foot which arepermanent causes for tragedy. What is tragic is theacceptance of these conditions to be permanent and toallow these to fracture the bonds between the mother anddaughter.

Physical difference, whether it is that of color or physicalform, is in the novels of Toni Morrison a condition thatwarrants not rejection but recognition of another kind ofbeauty and strength. Her second novel, Sula (1973)develops the struggle, the fight and the triumph of Eva, apowerhouse of courage and audacity. Eva has to fight themultiple negatives of colour, gender and class and for herthe only way out is to have her leg, ‘accidentally’ amputatedto claim insurance money. Eva, in a superb volte face,reverses the wholeness of the physical form and reshapesher chaotic family life into some order by the conscious actof disfiguration. Morrison shows how disability itself is notsimply a sign of victimisation even as the colour of the skinis not an indicator of the absence of either humanity or thecomplexity innate to the human experience. Eva isMorrison’s answer to people who treat a woman as anoutcast owing to her gender, colour, poverty and herdisability. Eva, wields the baton of change in her life onlyafter she chooses to be different and flaunts herself as thedifferent one and at the same time ornaments not just theamputated leg but by ordering her life she creates beauty

Dr. Navneet Sethi has been greatly inspired by the literary work of Prof. Toni Morrison , first Afri-can American to be awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. She has received and critically analysedher writings which highlight the experiences and struggle of the black disabled people in a society,where differences of colour and form matter. Being able or disabled has more to do with the state ofmind than with the manifestation of differences. What is beneath the skin is “bareness of sameness”strength and potential to harness the power of self worth.

The most imaginative people are the most credulous, for them everything is possible.Alexander Chase


in her life through a condition, disability, which for manyothers would spell doom and the end of the road.

Instead of disability or the bodily difference becoming theend of the road, the dead end to the journey of life, Pilatein Morrison’s next novel Song of Solomon (1977), actuallyleaves the readers dumbfounded because here is a womanwho is born without the center of the body itself. Bornwithout a navel, not only is Pilate a physical anomaly in itsmost essential sense but also being without a navel meansto be shoved into the margins of experience. Not so quick.Morrison has other plans forthis quintessential ancestralfemale who not only definesthe different shades of thecolour ‘black’ but also putto question the very functionof the ‘navel’ in the body, infact redefining what is‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ andrupturing the distinctionbetween ‘able’ and‘disabled’. Absence of navelin Pilate is drawn up byMorrison actually to be a

she is seen as a witch, and she is blind, but within the matrixof the novel it is this ‘blind’, ‘old’, ‘poor’, ‘black’, ’woman’who can actually ‘see’ that Jadine, the much feted ,rich,famous, black model in Paris is the one who has lost touchnot only with herself but the ‘ancient properties’ of thecommunity and in the ‘eyes’ of Marie-Therese she is theone who has lost her way even though she has eyes, and,in the hands of Morrison, Therese , the disenfranchised,visually disabled person becomes the one possessing thevision to guide the sighted ones on their journey towardsself realisation.

1The wisdom of the old, thedisabled and the different isthe wisdom whichtraditionally would bedisdained but in the worldof Toni Morrison’s fictionnot only is the differencecelebrated but the differencein colour or physical abilityis actually the prerequisite toa more inclusive vision of theworld. Baby Suggs inBeloved (1987) is thefigure venerated by theBill Clinton, former US president and Toni Morrison

redundant feature than aloss that has to be mourned by the one who is differentlymade, the one who is regarded as queer, as an outcast andis seen as someone not in step with the aspirations of theworld at large for visibility and wealth. The vision ofMorrison as a writer is clearly conveyed here. The onewho is a pariah is not to be rejected but in fact is the onewho provides certain clarity of vision into the experience.Pilate, who was born without a visible, conventional bodilycenter was the one who not only provided emotionalcentrality to the protagonist in the novel but also searchedand acquired a spiritual center for her life.

Being able and disabled in the novels of Toni Morrison hasgot to do more with the state of mind than with the givenmanifestations of difference, in terms of colour, ability,gender or class. For Morrison, discrediting body differenceis as erroneous a misreading of human potential as isdiscrimination on the basis of colour, gender or class.

In Tar Baby (1981), Morrison upholds the legitimacy ofthe vision of the blind nursemaid Marie-Therese Foucaultwho is thrown out of the folds of the community because

community as the one withthe voice of the mother and the zeal of the preacher. Limpingon a broken hip, Baby Suggs is the ex-slave woman whosenever say die spirit irks and baffles her own community atthe same time and yet she is the one that they turn to forsuccour and support in the post Civil War Cincinnati.Rejecting the white owners command, Baby Suggs isesteemed as the preacher for the community, someone whois marked by age, disability, poverty, black womanhood isactually the one who possesses the vision and the warmthto hold within not just her daughter-in-law, Sethe, but theability to heal the wounds of the entire community, bandsof fugitive slaves running towards freedom, away fromviolence and death under the control of the white master.

Morrison is making very clear that whiteness, power, wealth,manhood, physical ability are not to be regarded asevidences of wholeness of any kind. In fact, as she movedtowards Jazz (1992) and Paradise (1998), Morrison isbeginning to try to get under the skin of the skin and try tosee if the form itself is a construct of the mind and do wereally see a form or only a cluster of our preconceivedstereotypes. In her most recent novel Love (2003),

A boom promises more business and more jobs.The country may require at least 50,000 clinical research professionals.

Institute of Clinical Research (India)


Morrison is trying to see the bareness of human samenessbeneath the arthritic skin of Mead and the formlesssuaveness of “L”. Between the gnarled, marked disfigureddifference of Mead, the calculating heiress and the difficultto locate connivance of “L”, a cook or a killer or a lover,Morrison is moving towards a perception wherein itbecomes difficult to ascribe a motive to a body, a colour, agender, a class, a race.

The author with Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison has created a space for understanding thecomplexity of the differently abled experience, finely tunedto hear the notes of repression and resistance in the voicesof the African American women battling with, andcelebrating differences of many kinds.

Through the creativity of language, Morrison has made itpossible to make the readers see that the power ofimagination has the potential to harness the power of selfworth irrespective of the shackles of stereotypicalnegativity.

The author is assistant professor, School of Languages,Literature & Culture Studies, Jawaharlal NehruUniversity, New Delhi. q

Things may go rightAnd they may go wrong…But we’ll continue our song!!

We have the wingsTo fly higher and higher…

In the name of GodWe work, live and we perspire…

Life stretches too long…Sometimes it becomes too slowSometimes it’s a constricted ravineSometimes it’s a smooth flow…

Walking on in life is…Like playing with the fire

We may go down as ashes…Or we may conquer the fire,

As life moves on…So does the desire!!

As the words spell it outThe feelings we realize…Walk on the line…As the land touches the blue skies…

In these times of true struggle…Things may go right or wrong…

We live for another day…We’ll still continue our song!!

Ashish [email protected]

T he Life Song

I must have a prodigious quantity of mind, it takes me as much as a week some times to make it up.Mark Twain

A guy had been feeling down forso long that he finally decided toseek the aid of a psychiatrist.He went there spilled his guts thenwaited for the profound wisdom of the psychiatrist tomake him feel better.The psychiatrist asked him a few questions, took somenotes then sat for a few minutes with a puzzled lookon his face. Suddenly, he looked up with an expressionof delight and said, “Um, I think your problem is lowself-esteem. It is very common among losers.”


Plap! Plap! Lying on bed, he banged his hand on the side-table twice more. Though exhausted, I got inspired andresumed dancing. I met Jeesu at his mother’s, that is, mydance teacher’s house. We immediately struck a rapport.His mother proudly informed me that age thirteen, her boywith mental retardation motivated everyone around him. Iwould have found out though. I am myself inflicted with a neuropathy that entailsweakening of limbs. It makes me feel fatigued, sooner thanothers. However, I had stubbornly decided to give a solo-dance performance on my college stage. The only personwho could prepare me for this performance, was, my highschool dance teacher. I approached her to tutor me. Ittook us sometime to figure out what steps I should learn.She decided upon selected steps from Bharatnatyam. Whenasked for her payment schedule, she simply said “I’ll letyou know that later.” Classes began. As I’d dance with the support of a table,Jeesu would watch carefully from his bed, passing alopsided smile. The moment I’d give up, too tired and de-motivated to continue, he would bang the table and makehaphazard arm movements. Ma’am told that he was urgingme to continue. At times, sitting beside him, his mother and I chatted andlaughed together. This cheered him up without fail. “Heloves being surrounded by people and always reflects theiremotions,” his father told me. Indeed, the days I’d feelupset over something, Jeesu would look at me continuously.Those big and wide-open eyes would compel me to smile.Then he would begin shaking his body, making me laugh. Despite his condition, the little skinny boy has such humanequalities that everyone, from his mother’s friends to conventnuns, students to elders, comes to him for support. What

people find difficult to convey even with all their facultiesintact, Jeesu manages to express in his own unique ways. Ithink he takes it from his family itself. All of them almostadopted me; and it felt like home. “I took to depression when Jeesu got diagnosed,” said his

mother one day. She further added, “But slowly I realizedthat my child is not less beautiful than others, but differentlybeautiful.” “He is an angel ma’am,” touched myself, I touched hershoulder. On the last day, I munched on the idli-sambhar preparedby ma’am and asked about her payment, she said, “I hadstopped teaching dance, as Jeesu starts crying wheneverhe hears dance music. He feels ignored.” I was astounded.“But, Reema, he never cried when I taught you. In fact, itmade him happy. I think he found a meaning in his life.” Tears in my eyes, I looked at my angel. He smiled, lopsided.My real performance had already been made.

q

The author with Jeesu

Little did Reema Bansal knew that she would be meeting her angel while preparing for thesolo-dance performance, she had decided to give on her college stage. Here, she gives anaccount of her experience how her preparation for the actual performance turned out to be anachievement in itself.

India alone has 32 million diabetes patientsDr Amrish Mittal, Senior Consultant Endocrinology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi


Although there is great diversity of definitions, causes,conditions, and consequences of discrimination againstpersons with disabilities in employment and other aspectsof daily life, there are fundamental themes that unite countriesin their pursuit of policies to improve the social and economicstatus of persons with disabilities.

architecture, product design and engineering, etc. The basicunderlying theme in all being the overall approach to designwith a holistic outlook.

Concept of Universal DesignUniversal Design strives to integrate all people, including

During recent decades the issue of disability has metamorphosed from a purely individual medical / clinicalproblem to a human rights and socio - political issue. One of the main criterions regarding the Disability Act1995 is the condition that the Act in itself has come to be known as one without a bite. Though recentrevisions in the building standards have incorporated facilities for the disabled people, the common practicehas been to openly flout the conditions as there has been no prosecution regarding those rules. Priorityregarding these issues has been on the backburner as the people are either generally unaware about theexistence of such an Act or even if they are aware; its implementation is ignored in the country. Only ahandful of existing government buildings have been modified to make them disabled-friendly. Sanil Kumarthrows light on the concept of universal design meant to create social environment in which the humanity ofeach and every individual is respected.

People with physical disabilities are part of thetapestry of any urban fabric. Most of them leadnormal lives. From the perspective of universaldesign, the job of the architect is to design enablingenvironments that prolong and enhanceindependence. It is been observed that designingsmart homes for disabled or older people is notdifferent from designing the home for peoplewithout any form of impairment. The need is toreframe the design process to extend the conceptsof inclusive and universal design within the socialcontext of designing for people with a wide rangeof disabilities. Recent drives by the MCD(Municipal Corporation of Delhi) and the FireDepartment regarding the violations of Law havespurned a series of amendments in the society.Awareness (much rather fear) regarding thebuilding norms has increased considerably.Similarly prosecutions even legal notices,contemplations, an overall awareness regarding thisissue does prove to be great step ahead in thisdirection.The concept of Universal Design envisages in itselfa host of different fields including design,

People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid.Saren Aabye Kierkegard


those with disabilities, the elderly and children intopopulation data for ergonomic design. Some changesrequired to accommodate the disabled people actuallybenefit the whole population. And, they can be achievedrelatively inexpensively with a little forethought.

Universal Design has its roots in architecture, engineeringand environmental design and its principles espouses the“design of products, services and environments to be usableby all people, to the greatest extent possible, without theneed for adaptation or specialized design”

and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintendedactions. Therefore, the design should arrange elements tominimize hazards and errors: most used elements, mostaccessible; hazardous elements eliminated, isolated, orshielded. It should also provide warnings of hazards anderrors.

Low Physical Effort: The design should be usedefficiently and comfortably and with a minimum of fatigueby all people. Therefore, it should provide for use in neutral

Ray of LightBuildings envisaged to be the stage for global businesscenters have brought about the concept of UniversalDesign in their planning and design schemes. The adventof such buildings have brought about a new revolutionwhich is slowly catching volume and space. Researchbased companies like IBM have been instrumental inbringing forth their concepts of globalization in buildingstandards maintaining the same conditions in all theiroffices.

The Principles of Universal Design

Equitable Use: The design should be useful andmarketable to people with diverse abilities. It shouldprovide the same means of use for all users; identicalwhenever possible; equivalent when not. Take forexample a door handle: It should be designed insuch a way that all the people with their differentabilities should be able to use it to open or close adoor. When the handle is not suitable for use bysome people, there should be an equivalentsubstitute present to facilitate opening or closing ofthe door, e.g. push buttons for wheelchair access.

Flexibility in Use: The design shouldaccommodate a wide range of individual preferencesand abilities. It should provide choice in methods ofuse, accommodate right- or left-handed access anduse, facilitate the user’s accuracy and precision andprovide adaptability to the user’s pace.

Simple and Intuitive Use: Use of the designshould be easy to understand, irrespective of theuser’s experience, knowledge, language skills, orcurrent concentration level. This means that thedesign should be consistent with user expectationsand intuition and accommodate a wide range of literacyand language skills.

Perceptible Information: The design should communicatenecessary information effectively to the user, regardless ofambient conditions or the user’s sensory abilities. Thismeans that it should use different modes (pictorial, verbal,tactile) for redundant presentation of essential information,provide adequate contrast between essential and redundantinformation and provide compatibility with a variety oftechniques or devices used by people with sensorylimitations.

Tolerance for Err or: The design should minimize hazardsUniversal Design... Contd. to page 25

Toys which cause loud noise or have flickering lights or laser beams can cause eye and ear damage. Next timeyou’re shopping for a gift, try to buy toys made of wood, metal, or cloth. If a toy is not labelled, don’t buy it.

Toxics Link


Can cars, buses, and trucks make you deaf?Yes, according to the World Health Organisation, exposureto harmful sounds that are too loud, over a long time,damages sensitive structures of the inner ear, causing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).

What causes NIHL?NIHL can be caused by onetime exposure to loud soundas well as by repeated exposure to varying levels of loudsounds over an extended period of time.

How loud does a sound have to be to cause damage?The loudness of sound is measured in decibels. Sounds ofless than 80 decibels, even after long exposure, are unlikelyto cause hearing loss. Normal conversation isapproximately 60 decibels, the humming of a refrigeratoris 40 decibels, but city traffic noise can be over 100decibels. Examples of sources of loud noises are honking,trucks, motorcycles and firecrackers, all emitting soundsfrom 120 to 150 decibels. Heavy metal ‘‘music’’ (actuallynoise) is highly damaging to all living beings including plants,animals and humans.

How do we hear?The ear converts sound waves into electrical impulses thatare transmitted to the brain and interpreted as sound. Theear has three main parts: the outer, middle, and inner ear.Sound waves enter through the outer ear and reach themiddle ear where they cause the eardrum to vibrate.

The vibrations are transmitted through three tiny bones inthe middle ear, called the ossicles. These three bones arenamed the malleus, incus, and stapes (also known as thehammer, anvil, and stirrup). The eardrum and ossiclesamplify the vibrations and carry them to the inner ear. Thestirrup transmits the amplified vibrations through the ovalwindow and into the fluid that fills the inner ear.

The vibrations move through fluid in the cochlea (the snailshaped hearing part of the inner ear) that contains the haircells. The fluid in the cochlea moves the top portion of thehair cells, called the hair bundle, which initiates changesthat lead to the production of nerve impulses.

These nerve impulses are carried to the brain, where theyare interpreted as sound. Different sounds move the hairbundles in different ways, thus allowing the brain todistinguish one sound from another, such as vowels fromconsonants.

How does sound damage the ear?There is a great possibility of ear drum bursting by seriousvibrations caused by very loud sound. Exposure to harmfulsounds causes damage to the sensitive hair cells of the innerear as well as the hearing nerve. These structures can beinjured by two kinds of noise: loud impulse noise, such asan explosion, or loud continuous noise, such as honking orloud traffic.

How noise hurts ears ?l Audio sound waves are measured in decibels, with thesoftest sounds that people can hear being around 10decibels (dB)l Sounds become painful to the human ear around 120dB, but the human’s endocrine and nervous system startsresponding to noises are levels as low as 70 dBl The human physical reactions to noise are similar to humanalarm reactions; the blood pressure rises, the heart rateincreases, gastric juices are reduced, adrenaline levelsincrease, the pupils dilate, and muscles contract.l Prolonged exposure to noise can lower our productivityad reduce the nutrient value we derive from food. It canalso be detrimental to sleep, especially noises that areabrupt or are unfamiliar.l The most disturbing noises to sleep are unusual andsudden horns, exhausts, drills, vibrations and whistlesl Extremely loud noises can cause hearing loss

Is the hearing loss permanent?Impulse sound can result in immediate hearing loss thatmay be permanent. The structures of the inner ear may beseverely damaged. This kind of hearing loss may beaccompanied by tinnitus — a ringing, buzzing, or roaring inthe ears or head, which may subside over time. Hearingloss and tinnitus may be experienced in one or both ears

Constant exposure to loud traffic orhonking above 100 dB can lead tohearing impairment. Next time you

drive, avoid needless honking.

Think before... Contd. to page 25

There must be more to life than having everything.Maurice Sendak


The sudden growth of the low cost airline industry, theready availability of cheap tickets and increased connectivityhave resulted in a rise in the number of passengers whoneed wheelchairs or additional attention from cabin crewduring flights.

Travelling by air is yet to become fully disabled-friendly.Wheelchair users complain of a variety of problems thatstart from the time they board the airline coaches with thefootboard raised high above the ground to board theaircraft. They are often physically lifted and plonked intoseats towards the rear, close to the toilets. Some airlineseven charge for this ‘facility.’

Passengers with disabilities often complain that:(a) Most airlines in India don’t have aerobridges.(b) Most airlines have no ambulifts that lift wheelchair users

from the ground to the aeroplane while others chargepassengers Rs. 800/- for ambulift facilities.

(c) Most airlines staff is insensitive and ignorant aboutdisabled passengers’ needs. An autistic child wasrefused to board a plane in Bangalore in October.Passengers are lifted by loaders who are not trainedto take care of the disabled travellers.

(d) Most private airlines do not provide aisle chairs, whichenhance mobility for wheelchairs within the aircraft.

Though most airlines around the world follow guidelineslisted in the International Air Transport Associations(IATA)’s Traffic Handling Manual, it is yet to be applied inall seriousness by domestic airlines operating in India. Themanual states that airlines should follow IATA’s passengercategorisation so that specific needs can be followed.

The categories include stretchered passengers, wheelchairbound passengers (the three sub-categories here includethose who can climb stairs, those who cannot and thosewho are completely immobile) and hearing and visionimpaired passengers. A passenger is consideredincapacitated when his/ her physical, mental or medicalcondition requires individual attention; pilots have to beinformed about such passengers.

With a rise in the number of complaints from disabledpassengers and their relatives the Directorate General ofCivil Aviation (DGCA) has come out with proposed normswhich are recommended by IATA for the carriage ofphysically disabled passengers:

l The airlines should adopt a procedure that whenever thereservations are made, the airport shall be advised that thepassenger needing special attention has been booked onthe flight, at least 24 hours before departure or as soon asreservation is done.l At the airport, appropriate action for arranging therequired assistance needed by the passenger, must be takenin advance. The fact should also be advised to the flightdespatch unit, for briefing to the cabin crew, at least 12hours before departure.l When advice for travel of passenger needing specialattention is received, such passengers should be met bycustomer services staff in the check-in area and assisted incheck-in formalities.l Passengers with stiff legs, fractured legs in plaster,paraplegics, etc. should be accommodated in seats allowingmaximum space for their comfort. l Airlines should have enough wheelchairs to meet their

Long rail/ road journeys undertaken by disabled people in sitting or lying posture can producecomplications especially for those afflicted with conditions like spinal cord injury, stroke, musculardystrophy, multiple sclerosis, etc. People with disabilities, these days, prefer travelling by air not onlyfor lesser time consumed reaching the destination, but to avoid the hassles and discomfort encounteredduring surface journey. The Voice… takes a look at the present scenario for disabled air passengers.

12% of American men aspire to undergo some type of cosmetic surgery.25% say they are motivated by their girlfriend or wifeAmerican Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS)


traffic demands. Passengers, whobring their own wheelchairs,should be allowedto checkthem in.l S u c hpassengersshould not beseated near theemergency exit;they should instead,be close to the cabinattendants’ seats.l Cabin crew shouldpersonally and indi-vidually brief suchpassengers or theirescorts on emergencyprocedures and cabin layout.l The airline should inform its pilot and cabin crew aboutsuch passengers before boarding starts; they should beboarded first and disembarked last as far as possible.l Disabled passengers should be retained on board duringtransit halts.l When passengers are off-loaded, the disabled passengershould be accorded highest priority when it comes totransportationl During delays, such passengers should get individualattention from customer services.l Visually impaired and speech impaired passengerstravelling with trained dogs should be given seats whichallow space for the dog.

What airlines sayl Indian (formerly known as Indian Airlines) does notcharge for wheelchairs and provides assistance from thekerbside to the aircraft for wheelchair-bound passengers.These passengers are boarded first if they have checked inwell in advance. Indian also removes seats (nine on A320aircraft and seven on Boeing 737 aircraft) to accommodatestretchers but actually charge for only four seats. Fourteenpatients on stretchers were handled at Mumbai inSeptember alone. Those with 80% ‘locomotor disability’and the visually impaired get a 50% discount on fares.l Go Air does not carry patients on stretchers as it requiresremoval of three sets of rows and additional equipmentlike special hooks and clamps to fasten the stretcher/wheelchair and keep it safe during take-offs/ landings.

Wheelchairs, however, areoffered free on ground.l Jet Airways does notcharge for wheelchairs andfly patients on stretchers aswell.l Kingfisher Airlines provideswheelchairs to/from aircraftfor free. KA carry patients onstretchers (though not onATRs) if advance notice isgiven as certain alterationsneed to be done on board butKA hasn’t really handled any

queues; the moment they would reach the aircraft step-ladder, they would get up and climb the stairs quickly, sowe left it to the discretion of the airport manager to decidewhether a passenger should be given a wheelchair. But,following complaints, SJ extends this facility to all thosewho ask for it. About 75 passengers use wheelchairs (notinside the aircraft) for the 50 flights we operate in a day.

Silver liningBut things are changing and there is a hope of better flyingdays ahead-l The Delhi High Court, in a September judgement, askedprivate airlines and Airports Authority of India to ensurethat wheelchair users get access to ambulifts.l The new terminal at the Delhi Airport will have world-class facilities for the physically disabled passengers. Theexisting terminal is also being made disabled-friendly.l After a lot of protests from passengers and theirassociations,s almost all the airlines provide wheelchairfacility on ground for free.

q

of these cases. KA removes adozen seats for accommodatinga stretcher on A320s and A319sbut charge for nine seats.l Spice Jet does not charge forwheelchairs but does not carrystretchers or wheelchair-boundpatients on board. SJ found therewere some passengers whomisused the facility to skip

Never stand begging for what you have the power to earn.Miquel De Cervantes


Humour and disability has close association. Disability andpersons with disabilities are represented with an elementof humour in media and literature.

I personally feel that mocking at others is not the real importof humour. Instead, the ability to enjoy life situationsparticularly those, which are discomforting is the realhumour. Adding a humorous element to the difficultsituations, makes the conversation enjoyable.

With this view we can find humour everywhere around us,even in situations which are not so pleasant. This can bedifficult and unbelievable but undoubtedly important.

As a disabled person myself, I know, and many of myfriends share with me the kind of situations they and I face.These are generally situations of people’s response towardsus as persons with disability of any kind. To find humour insuch situations is hard, at least, as a spontaneous response.Humour like other arts and skill is learnt. For me, disabilityhas given me the opportunity to find humour in many things.

It is experienced and observed that some people have somuch ignorance about what I as a visually impaired personcan do. This is not always about educational capacity butgenerally, even recreational activities are a matter of surpriseand amazement for most. How people respond to a sightof a visually impaired person is interesting, insightful andhumorous to think over.

When I think about such incidences, I find humour in manyof them. I don’t intend to cast any aspersions on any bodybut the fact remains that experiences pertaining to mydisability have extra humour in them. I cannot resist smilingat those whenever I recollect them.

This is an age of customisation but see the extent to whichcustomisation is taken for granted. For example, oftenstrangers or sometimes even known people use thecustomised language to define the activity, “Anjali, do youwatch TV. I mean, listen to TV?”

What goes in my mind at these points of time are series ofquestion to find humour in innocently ignorant statements:Isn’t television an audio-visual aid? Is television onlywatching and is listening not involved? Isn’t the expressionin English “watching” used only to distinguish it from“listening a radio?”

This customised usage is interesting to look at. I wishcustomisation like these were more creatively used inservices like banking, transportation, and the like. Manymore sporadic instances arise that can have an element ofhumour. Something like the following event is quiteinteresting.

A visually impaired man came out of the temple after doinghis pooja. As he walkedaway from thetemple premises, aman called out fromthe back in theconventional style,“ Soordas jee!Please wait.”

The visuallyimpaired manwas familiar withthe usage of thisexpression and

Matthew Gervais, an American evolutionary biologist has traced origins of laughter back to 4 millionyears when human beings became bipedal. Language appeared only 2 million years after the firstlaugh. Since then laughter and humour has occupied vital space in everyday life. Anjali Ar oraenumerates some lighter moments which occurred in her life because of her disability.

The human brain is 80% water.The brain also uses more than 25% of the oxygen consumed by the human body


so stopped. The caller came walking very fast and stoppednear him and held his hands very tightly and said, “I sawyou worshipping and was curious to ask something, if youdon’t mind.” The visually impaired man said, “Sure! Tellme what is it?”

“I was standing next to you when you were worshiping. Isaw you standing with hands folded, eyes closed and yourlips moving in prayer of the Almighty. I saw you doing allthis in the perfect way prayers are offered! I saw it all!“Well, thank you,” he said when all the while he was temptedto say “O! You mean, while I was praying, you wereobserving me and not praying? Why did you come to thetemple in the first place? Anyway, what else?”

“All that was okay, and perfectly performed,” the mancontinued with the same approving tone, “But tell me whydo you need to come to the temple for prayers when youcannot see the God?”

“Well,” said the visually impaired man with a suppressedsmile, “Does one need to come to temple only to see theGod? Isn’t there something more in the atmosphere andvibrations, which make a spiritual place so special?”

“O yes. You’re right in that sense. Temple and other spiritualplaces have special significance. The vibrations are strongand peaceful. May be you as a blind man can assessvibration better than us — your extra senses,” he pausedand then continued, “But you can’t see the God as it ishere in the temple! May I tell you that it is so magnificent…and grand…and majestic…and beautiful!’’

“I beg your pardon?” said the visually impaired man, “God’sgrace has to be experienced and not seen! Who has everseen the God with bodily eyes? I personally feel that it ismore important that God should be able to see you andme. Right? O! By the way, don’t you close your eyes when

in front of the idol of worship in the temple? Have youever seen Him? Do you call seeing the idol as seeing theGod?”

The stranger was left in his thoughts. The blind man knewthat arguments like these couldn’t be won by advancingforceful, logical and rational reasons. Prejudice is far remotefrom truth than ignorance.

I remember some of the interesting responses to me as achild with disability and curiosities expressed to me.(Innocently ignorant, as I choose to call)

As a child with visual impairment, somebody asked me,“How is it that you can eat food even without being able tosee, how does it go straight in your mouth?”

Words could explain only a little. I as a child could hardlyunderstand how to explain this. I only looked at her withsurprise and then smiled and said, “O! You mean, you keepa mirror to look into when eating food? Or is it that youcan see under your nose also, hmm?”

I sometimes feel that questions like these perhaps cannotbe answered or explained in words. Having found humourin these questions, the recollection of these events isprecious and enjoyable. I can find humour and amusementin everything that happens with me particularly that whichrelates to disability and enjoy it all.

Once while travelling in train, a man resentfully pointed,“Disabled people enjoy many benefits. You being visuallyimpaired must be travelling free of cost and your escortalso must have paid only half the price of his ticket,” Ismiled and replied, “Why do you devoid yourself of thepleasure, just blow up your eyes?”

[email protected] q

He that never changes his opinion and never corrects mistakeswill never be wiser on the morrow than he is today.

Tryon Edwards

J An old man visits his doctor and aftera thorough examination the doctor tellshim, “I have good news and bad news,what would you like to hear first?”Patient: Well, give me the bad news first.Doctor: You have cancer, I estimate that you have abouttwo years left.Patient: That’s terrible! What kind of good news couldyou probably tell me, after this?Doctor: You also have Alzheimer’s. In about three monthsyou are going to forget everything I told you.

J Three old man, who wore hearing aids were walkingin the park one March day. One remarked to the other,“ Windy, ain’t it?” “It is Thursday.” And the third manchimed in, “So I am. Let’s have coke.”

J A doctor is talking to a car mechanic, “Your fee isseveral times more per hour then we get paid formedical care.”“Yeah, but you see, doc, you have always the samemodel, it has not changed since Adam; but we have tokeep up to date with new models coming every month.”


Adversities are a part of our life. Everyone has to contendwith some adversity or other in life. I believe that Godwants to test our forbearance by placing us in difficultsituations. Therefore, we should not get disheartened ordepressed when we face hard times. We should rathercontinue to pray to God ceaselessly, asking Him to guideand strengthen us to endure our periods of trial. He willdefinitely come to our rescue if we sincerely pray to Him.Ram Chandra became Lord Ram after going throughrigorous testing times in the forest. Jesus Christ becameLord Christ after he sacrificed his life on the cross. ProphetMohammad had to undergo similar agonising momentsbefore he was able to propound his “Brotherhood”. Themore troubles we face, the stronger we emerge. Adversitiescome to us in different forms. Bodily pain, ill health, acutefinancial problems, unemployment, accidents, death in thefamily, children going astray and misunderstandings aresome of the painful situations we encounter in daily life. Ifyou sincerely examine your problems you will realise thatmost of them are due to lack of physical exercise and byunhygienic habits we have developed. Health problems likecancer, blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, stroke,diabetes and AIDS are mostly the result of bad habits.

Accidents are mostly the result of negligence. Mental painis caused by loose talk, slander, hatred, intemperate speech,etc. We also get into painful situations by mistakescommitted for lack of wise thinking and poor judgment.Wicked things we do or get others to do also causesuffering. Thus, we cause a lot of suffering to ourselvesthrough our wicked thoughts, words and deeds which areoutright immoral or unethical and displeasing to God.

Sorrows and miseries of life make us strong. They strengthenour resolve to face difficult times with equanimity. We shouldnot be afraid of them because they are inevitable and are

part of life. Injustice from authorities are often the cause ofour troubles as they frequently act from selfish motives.Jesus Christ had to suffer due to the injustice of theauthorities of his time. But the godly attributes of Christ didnot deter him from carrying out His painful mission. Hisconvictions were strong and firm and he was determinedto convey God’s message to humanity. He knew thathumanity would understand Him after his sacrifice on thecross. Therefore, he willingly carried the cross on whichhe was crucified. This was his acid test and he emergedvictorious as people came to know the purpose of his lifeafter his death and resurrection.

A patient approach to suffering has to be practiced. Thesense of stoicism infused in Arjun by Lord Krishna enabledhim to win the great battle of the Mahabharat althoughthe odds were against him. Arjun’s stoicism made himvictorious. Numerous examples are there in all the scriptureswhen great souls did not bother about the results but faithfulto God, they stood firm in their resolve. So why be afraidof sufferings? The important things is that we should continueto have faith in God.

Suffering in this life is unavoidable. No one is immune fromsuffering. One who bravely accepts life’s trails with patientendurance, and full faith in God, will be happy. The cloudsthat cover the sunshine will soon disappear and the sun ofhappiness will shine on those who,ss with faith in God faceadversities. Pure unalloyed gold is made only when it ispurified in the furnace. Hence to become deeper and solidin life, adversities are often useful and even necessary.

The author is founder manager of chain of CityMontessori School in LucknowE-mail: [email protected]: www.cmseducation.org q

Suffering is an integral part of every individual’s life. It mayleave a person totally shattered and defeated. Jagdish Gandh,a popular figure on Astha TV, for his discourses on how to fightthe adversities strongly believes that adversities are essential toemerge a winner. He recommends the way out when the chipsare down.

Of all living things, only humans sleep on their backs.On an average, it takes seven minutes for a human to fall asleep.


I am Santosh aged 23 years from Jharkhand. My right leggot afflicted with polio when I was small. In absence ofproper treatment my paralysed leg developed contracturesand deformity. I taught myself to walk with a lathi (stick). Iand my two younger brothers, eight and ten year old had adifficult and tough childhood. We were shunted from onefamily to another as domestic servants. They all ill-treatedus. My father was an alcoholic and usedto beat me, my brothers and my mothervery badly. One day my mother decidedto free herself from the clutches of ourcruel and drunkard father so she re-married. But this man was no better. Healready had another wife and family ofhis own. So, when we brothers arrived,he had no time for us. After sometimehe refused to look after us anddemanded that my mother should sendus elsewhere. In desperation my mothersent us to her brother’s house. Even herewe could not escape being beaten. Wewere treated like rubbish. All theirchildren would go to school, while wewere made to stay at home cooking andcleaning for the whole family.

It was not long before they too turned their back on us.My aunt sent me and my brother to work as domestic helpin a posh colony in Delhi. Here I was severely exploited. Iwas required to sweep the floor, clean the utensils andattend all other domestic chores dragging myself. I was leftto sleep on a hard bare floor with no cover to protect mybody from cold winter nights and in the sweltering summermonths, I was not allowed to use a fan. This was to ‘saveelectricity’ they told me, though they had A/C in their room.Albeit, I was ten years old at that time I still was given the

responsibility to cook for the entire family, no matter whattime they would come back from work-even if it was 2a.m. in the morning. Very often I would be woken up witha kick in my stomach. If ever I accidentally burned thefood, I would be forced to eat it followed by anotherbeating. Never was I given one proper meal. I was fed theleft over, as though I was a dog.

When things became intolerable I fledback to my aunt’s house as there wasno other choice. But my aunt was nothappy at all to see me again. And I wassent out to work for another family. Heretoo they showed no consideration for mydisability and I was supposed to do thesmallest of things from opening a waterbottle to washing their undergarments.

Some one in the neighbourhood must bekeenly observing the inhumane attitudeof the family towards me and lodged acomplaint with the appropriate authoritywhich took me away from the family andplaced me with the Mukti Ashram,managed by Bachpan Bachao Andolan.

After coming to the Ashram and meeting Sumanji, itsdirector, I came to realise that what education andchildhood were. After completing two years at the AshramI opened a tailoring shop at my native place and continuedmy studies and passed class XII from National OpenSchool. Today I work as a para-teacher in Jharkhand. Iam deeply indebted to Bachpan Bachao Andolan and itsdirector who are responsible for the turnabout in my life.Now I don’t allow anybody to exploit me or my disability.

As told to Sandhya Sharma, a freelance journalist q

Child abuse has infested our society to the extent that the people do not hesitate toexploit even children with disabilities. Santosh, who contracted polio in his childhoodnarrates his woeful story.

Santosh Kumar

One of the keys to happiness is a bad memory.Rita Mae Brown


Urban and rural spaces and transportation services havenot been sufficiently updated to meet needs of all the users.Majority of the society including senior citizens, personswith disabilities, children, pregnant women and nursingmothers, and people who speak different language, havedifferent customs; are forced to suffer inconveniences. Risksof an accident are also found at home and surroundingsand in household appliances that one uses regularly. Toensure that people are not disadvantaged on the basis ofage, gender, or ability; design that has respect for humanityand diversity everywhere, is the need of the hour.

The International Association for Universal Design (IAUD)organised the 2nd International Conference for UniversalDesign in Kyoto in October 2006. Universal design is aconcept for designing appliances, architecture, andliving space with the intention that they can be usedby as many people as possible. In the InternationalUniversal Design Declaration, which was proclaimed in thefinale of the conference in Yokohama in 2002, IAUDdefined universal design as creation of socialenvironment in which the humanity of each and everyperson is respected.

It was a matter of great pride and honour for both of us, onbeing invited by the IAUD as panelists and to present apaper in a session “UD for the Majority World” on October24, 2006. The conference was attended by leadingadvocates of Universal Design from all over the world. Itwas an excellent exposure for us, to understand the UDconcept practiced world wide and a fast gaining term inIndia. The conference also provided an opportunity to studythe Japanese contribution towards UD in terms oftransportation, street infrastructure, heritage sites (tourism)and built environment (both internal and external) andcommunications.

TRANSPORTATIONa) Subway system- We landed at Kensai Airport, Osakaon October 22, 2006. Our first brush with UD was withan escalator which on pressing of a mere button by airportattendant, turned into a lift (escalator lift) and carried usand our attendants easily to the first floor in one go. Samecan be replicated in our country at the railwaystations, airports and foot over bridges!

People with disabilities are integral part of the society they live in. They have certain needswhich need to be looked after. Accessibility to public places and transportation is just one ofthe several essential requirements. Sanjeev Sachdeva and Anjlee Agarwal narrate theirexperience while travelling in barrier-free Japan last October.

We kept clicking thephotographs (withouteven looking at where wewere heading) andreached the subway toboard the train for Kyoto.The coach attendant wasquick to place a portablefolding ramp for bridgingthe gap between the trainand the platform for theconvenience of wheel-chair users. At ourdestination, the Kyoto Escalator Lift

Stair Lif t

50 lakh people die of heart disease in India every year


station attendant was ready with the same to get us outsafely. Delhi Metro and upcoming Metro Systems inBangalore and Mumbai can take the cue regardingthe portable ramps.

We used the subway system quite extensively, as it wasnot only economical but very convenient. Multi-useaccessible toilets (for senior citizens, pregnant woman,families with young children and person with disabilities)were at every junction/station. To our surprise our disabilitycertificate was acknowledged and it helped us in gettingconcessional tickets (half rates) for self and an attendant.The ticket vending machines had audio mechanism forpassengers with vision impairment and tactile maps at manyof the stations. Tactile tiles (both guiding and warning) wasa normal sight at the stations and roads. All trains haveaudio and video information, route maps, reserved coacheswith signages on the coach exterior and ground anddesignated space for two passengers inside the coach.

b) Buses- Japanese rely heavily on the subway system fortransportation and stations are well connected with buses.We observed wheelchair friendly kneeling buses, whichhave clear signages i.e. symbol of accessibility in the frontand at the entrance door. The information display was bothon the exterior entrance side and inside the bus. Thereserved seating spaces for wheelchair users and mobilityimpaired with ‘Stop Request’ button near the grab rail havebeen provided. The stanchions and hand rails were colourcontrasted. However, we noticed that the buses do nothave hydraulic ramp, instead portable collapsibleramps are placed by the driver (similar to the onesused for subway trains) to pick up passengers withmobility impairments.

We had the opportunity to study the Itami station and busterminus (newly constructed after the earthquake of 1995).The bus terminus was well planned and had all accessfeatures like information signages, route maps, resting spacefor elderly, public telephones at two levels, accessibledustbins among others. The bus terminus was circular inshape with the space in the middle reserved for taxis.

c) Str eet infrastructure- It appeared to us as if all theguidelines we had studied so far in books/on net or hadconceptualised was practically in front of us. It was excitingto observe wide obstruction free pedestrian pathways(more than two meters) with tactile strip and beautifulcurb cuts, which benefits all especially senior citizens andpersons with reduced mobility. The strategic publicinformation/ signage like ‘way to….’ on the paymentwere also observed. The crossings appeared to be at level(raised to the same level with gentle inclination) with thepavements. The light signaling system with audiobeepers having ‘cuckoo sound’ for crossings, wereinstalled everywhere. Same can be replicated in India also.Well, we did not see a single traffic police!

d) Tourist placesIn Koyoto, we visited Kinkaku-ji temple, Kamigamo-jinjashrine and Nijo-jo castle. A smooth pathway with wheelchairdirectional signage created on a pebbled road to theKamigamo-jinja shrine, which made our tour easier. Rampsmerging with the aesthetic value of the place wereobserved. Nijo-jo castle had their own wheelchairarrangements for tourists and wheelchair user had totransfer on those chairs. It is a simple solution which canbe applied at places of worship in India also!

The Osaka Castle famous world heritage site had a glasslift to take us to the top. Above all the Tempozan GiantFerris Wheel (one of the largest in the world), hadarrangements for wheelchair users in one of the trolleys! Itwas an unbelievable experience. We also visited theTempozan Harbor Village, a compact waterfront shoppingand sightseeing area with Osaka Aquarium “Kaiyukan”, ahuge aquarium for ecological display of fish and a shark,was a treat to watch.

We visited the famous Kobe harbor and took a cruise tour.We are sure that India can provide the standards andbecome a country with “Access for All” by incorporating

Portable collapsible ramp Barrier-free... Contd. to page 25

It’ s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.Albert Einstein


Polio is an infectious disease caused by a virus that invadesthe nervous system through the mouth and causes totalparalysis within hours. Initial symptoms are fever, fatigue,headache, vomiting, and stiffness in the neck and pain inthe limbs. Those under five years are the major segment ofvictims; but alas! It cannot be cured, though certainly wecan prevent it. Polio vaccine, given till the age of 5 yearscan prevent a child from this crippling disease. A child mustget four doses of the vaccine in the first year of his life andsupplementary doses till he is five.

India has performed a long journey towards eradication ofpolio during the last 12 years. From 34,950 cases in 1994(Delhi 476) to only 66 cases in 2005 (Delhi 1).

Nevertheless, ‘Polio detected in Mumbai’, ‘Punjab toorecords a case’, Polio strikes infant from family with UProots’, ‘Girl gets polio despite 9 doses of vaccine,’ ‘Poliospread worries WHO’ are some headlines which raise theeye-brows. Is polio back? Are our children going to becrippled once again, unabated? Is there anything wrongwith our strategy? Or has the oral vaccination failed? Theseare the natural questions, which come to mind.

Of the 1,763 polio cases, worldwide this year, 571 arefrom India alone. Only Nigeria has a higher figure of 1,018.And there are doubts in certain quarters that India’s figuresmay actually be underrepresented.

Let us figure it out: Till November 2006, there have alreadybeen 441 cases in India. Uttar Pradesh with 380 casesand Bihar with 28 accounts form majority of the victims inIndia. Fortunately, Delhi had only 4. Going deeper, it hasbeen established that the western districts of Meerut,Muzaffarnagar and Ghaziabad are worst affected.

Demographically, 70% of the recent victims are Muslimswhile Hindus are only 29%.

A common perception among Muslims, particularly thepoor and illiterate, is that the vaccines cause infertility. Thesuspicion is supported by the religious leaders, too. It goesagainst the basic tenets of Islam, they feel. Recentlypamphlets claiming that polio drops may lead to impotencyand sterility have been distributed in some areas of Godhra.They also claim that the vaccination was not an Indian butIsraeli product, who add some chemicals in it to make theuser infertile for life. But what is more worrying is that healthofficials in charge of administering the polio vaccine havestarted skipping Muslim localities.

A positive step, which may help eradicate polio from India,has been taken by Saudi Arabia, which became polio-freein 1995. A fresh Saudi order issued following the recentout break of polio in India says that all adults will have toget vaccinated before they leave India, even if they hadreceived polio drops as a child. They will also be requiredto receive an additional dose of oral polio vaccine uponarrival in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi move may come as ashock to large sections of the Muslim community in Indiawho have been resisting polio vaccination on the groundthat it may adversely affect male potency.

Dr. A. Ramdoss, union minister of health and family welfarefeels that fire-fighting strategy has to be adopted to eradicatethe menace. He met the Muslim religious leaders, like Imamsand Muftis to accept polio vaccines, as prevention againstpolio the mistake margin is very thin. Skipping even onechild in environs like high-density population to the poliovirus to show its head again.

Efforts to eradicate polio from India have consumed over a decade and a plenty of money. Theresult: polio still exists, major culprits being states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana. Mostcountries have eradicated polio. China has done so with four rounds of pulse polio during 1993-1995. Why can’t India? ...ponders K.B. Mahajan

A person will die from total lack of sleep sooner than from starvation.Death will occur after 10 days without sleep, while starvation takes a few weeks.


There is a feeling, however, that the vaccine could be of aninferior quality. To ensure its efficacy, the health ministry isupgrading its laboratories in Noida and Kannur apart fromKasauli where the only test laboratory is at present.According to UNICEF, there is nothing wrong with thequality of vaccine, it takes several doses of the vaccine tobuild a pool of protected children and if there is someslippage and few children are missed for some reason, thevirus attacks. One of the reasons for vaccine not workingis the abysmal environmental hygiene in U.P. Poor hygienecauses frequent bouts of diarrhoea among children, makingit difficult for them to retain the oral vaccine in their bodylong enough to develop immunity. It takes 2-3 days forantibody formation against polio virus and if a child hasdiarrhoea, or if he vomits within half an hour it should betaken as dose missed.

Injectible vaccines are considered to be much strongerarmour to fight polio but the cost of a vaccine is 25 timesmore than that of the oral polio vaccine. We feel thegovernment of India should implement administration ofinjectibles in the states of U.P. and Bihar for better results.

Polio has been eradicated in the whole world except forPakistan, Namibia, and Afghanistan and, of course, India,say the WHO reports. One can only wish that governmenttakes corrective measures to completely eradicate thiscrippling disease from India.

The author is retired deputy general manager from IndiaTrade Promotion Organisation and an active socialworker, e-mail: [email protected]

q

the principle of Universal Design at the policy/planning stagein all the upcoming infrastructure development. It is alsopossible to make retrofitting in the existing built environmentand transportation using indigenously made materials andtechnology. Our visit was fruitful due to the warm hospitalityextended by IAUD, and the student volunteers. Theexperience has further emboldened our commitment andresolve to make our country “Incredible India” universallyaccessible by 2010.

The authors, are co-founders of Samarthya, NationalCentre for Promotion of Barrier Free Environment,New Delhi. Email: samarthyaindia@ yahoo.com,[email protected] q

Barrier-free... Contd. from page 23

and tinnitus may continue constantly or occasionallythroughout a lifetime.

Continuous exposure to loud noise can also damage thestructure of the hair cells, resulting in hearing loss and tinnitus.Exposure to impulse and continuous noise may cause onlya temporary hearing loss. If the hearing recovers, thetemporary hearing loss is called a temporary threshold shift-it disappears 16 to 48 hours after exposure to loud noise.

Compiled by Kumud Mohan, a freelancerq

Think before... Contd. from page 15

body position, use reasonable operating forces, minimiserepetitive actions and static postures for long time intervals.Size and Space for Appr oach and Use: Appropriatesize and space should be provided for approach, reach,manipulation, and use regardless of user’s body size,posture, or mobility. Therefore, the design should makereach to all components comfortable for any seated orstanding user, accommodate variations in hand and gripsize and provide adequate space for the use of assistivedevices or personal assistance. Interior designers oftenutilise these principles in a variety of ways including theproper layout of furniture and equipment, accessibility incommercial or public facilities, special equipment needs inhealthcare, retail, and other commercial venues, as wellas, lighting, furnishings, ergonomic workstations, properflooring and more.The existence of the Disability Act and its directives set upthe dais for all those involved to extend the movement in allpossible directions, be it the field of architecture, design,engineering or technology.

“My small steps just take me forward today….But the trails they leave ……

Carve a tomorrow on the way…”

The author is a practicing architect q

Universal Design... Contd. from page 14

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.T. S. Eliot

Lady to the doctor over the phone,“Doctor, I beg you to prescribesomething which will immediatelyreduce my weight. My husband hasbought me this wonderful birthday present and I can’tget into it.” The doctor says, “Just come over heretomorrow, and I shall give you a prescription. Thenyou will soon be able to wear your wonderful newdress.” The lady replies hurriedly, “who said anythingabout a dress? I am talking of a car.”


LITTLE CHAMPS (August 15)Over 100 new-born babies in China participated in aswimming contest which some believe improves a baby’sphysical and psychological abilities.

SHARK ATTACK (August 16)

found that mangoes may be helpful in protecting the bodyagainst metabolic disorders like diabetes and highcholesterol.

FINDING CAUSE (November 08)According to new research that appeared inthe New England Journal of Medicine, CTscan can find small lung tumours that arecurable.

KIDNEY CURE (November 09)Scientists at the Northwestern UniversityFeinberg School of Medicine say that anenzyme called ACE2 may help treating diabetickidney disease, the most common form ofkidney disease.

BRAIN NEEDS IRON (November 13)Iron-deficient infants lag behind their peers later in life,especially at lower socio-economic levels. About one-fifthof children around the world have iron deficiency anaemia.

A South African lifeguard had his footbitten “clean off” after a shark attackedhim during a training exercise on a CapeTown beach.

BUGGED (August 16)A 67-year-old man is being treated in a Hong Kong hospitalafter it was found that he was being eaten by maggots. Theaffliction is known as human myiasis.

LONGEST NAIL (August 21)UK housewife Lee Redmond, who stoppedcutting her nails in 1979, has clawed her wayinto the Guinness Book of World Records withfingernails 33 inches long.

JUICE IT UP (October 04)Fruit and vegetable juice just got healthier, as scientists saytheir peels contain the antioxidant polyphenols, which canprevent Alzheimer’s disease.

SEEING THE LIGHT (November 02)Scientists believe that light-sensitive switchescan help restore sight to patients with maculardegeneration. These switches can initiate amuscle contraction or stimulate a nerve cell at

the flash of a light.

BULB BOON (November 07)Beams of light concentrated from a light bulbcould soon help burn away tumours insurgical operations that are as effective aslaser surgery but 100 times cheaper.

SWEET REMEDY (November 28)The Australian Health and Medical Research Congress has

DOGGONE (November 23)A quadriplegic man in Los Angeles has filed acomplaint against the police claiming he wasthrown to the ground after a dispute over whowould pick up his dog’s faeces.

SMOKE STIMULI (December 06)Hundreds of thousands of US youngstersunder the age of 18 start using tobacco eachyear as a direct result of it being featured infilms, videos, advertising and giveawaysamples.

ADVANTAGE LEFT (December 06)Left-handed people often perform better than right-handersat fast or difficult tasks that involve lots of information orstimuli, such as playing fast computer games or piloting ajet fighter.

q

50% people who have a heart attack have never had symptoms.


What is bronze diabetes?What is bronze diabetes?What is bronze diabetes?What is bronze diabetes?What is bronze diabetes?Bronze diabetes is another name of hemochromatosis, aniron overload disease which causes the body to absorband store too much iron. It is a genetic disorder, whereindeposition of excess iron in the body damages the pancreascausing diabetes, apart from affecting other organs like theliver and heart and the joints too.

Why is it said that an elephant never forgets?Why is it said that an elephant never forgets?Why is it said that an elephant never forgets?Why is it said that an elephant never forgets?Why is it said that an elephant never forgets?

What is cryopreservation?What is cryopreservation?What is cryopreservation?What is cryopreservation?What is cryopreservation?Cryopreservation is the preservation of any living tissue atlow temperature, this can include anything from humantissues to vegetables, it is basically used for preserving livingtissues which need to be surgically implanted or transplantedto a human. Some examples include cornea, heart, etc.Temperatures usually used are sub-zero temperatures. Lowtemperature leads to a decrease or almost total cessationof metabolic process of the living tissue which increases itspreservation life. Human sperms are also stored in a spermbank at lower temperatures using this principle.

Why is International Diabetes Day celebratedWhy is International Diabetes Day celebratedWhy is International Diabetes Day celebratedWhy is International Diabetes Day celebratedWhy is International Diabetes Day celebratedon November 14?on November 14?on November 14?on November 14?on November 14?World Diabetes Day, celebrated every year on November14, was established by the International DiabetesFederation (IDF) and the World Health Organisation(WHO) in 1991 with the aim of coordinating diabetesadvocacy worldwide. Since then, it has become the primaryglobal awareness campaign of the diabetes community.World Diabetes Day commemorates the birthday ofFrederick Banting, who with his colleague Charles Best,discovered insulin in 1921. The disease is a leading causeof blindness, kidney failure, amputation, heart attack andstroke. It is one of the most significant causes of death,responsible for a similar number of deaths each year asHIV / AIDS.

What is special about Luminette glasses?What is special about Luminette glasses?What is special about Luminette glasses?What is special about Luminette glasses?What is special about Luminette glasses?The Luminette is a light apparatus rather like a pair ofspectacles, but can be worn on top of normal glasses toadminister Luminotherapy treatment. Luminotherapy meanslight therapy and usually involves half-hour sessions in frontof a light source. It’s specially adapted to treat seasonaldepression. Light exposure slows down melatoninproduction, fighting sleepiness and depression. The lightreaches the brain through the retina of the eye, as nerveimpulses, to alter hormone levels, which in turn reset yourbody clock and boost your immune system.

How skin helps us?How skin helps us?How skin helps us?How skin helps us?How skin helps us?Most of the natural oil in our skin is removed through casualcontact throughout the day, stripping it off its naturalmoisture protection that it requires to stay healthy. The skinon our palms and soles is five times thicker than on the restof our body. Also, it is the only part of our skin that producesno oil. Shockingly, when our body is low on vitamins, itsacrifices the skin to support other organs and tissues.

q

In general, vertebrate specieswith large brains like theelephant have developedcomplicated parts of thecerebral cortex (a part of thebrain) to a greater extent andhave greater capability for

learning complicated tasks. It also seems that larger animalswith large brains have the ability to retain information forlonger periods. Based on evidence available, elephantsseem to remember individuals, places and learned skillsfor many years. Accounts by observers indicate thatelephants are able to remember the voice (and perhapsscents) of some people for over 12 years. Thus, it’s saidthat an elephant never forgets.

What is a Jarvik Heart?What is a Jarvik Heart?What is a Jarvik Heart?What is a Jarvik Heart?What is a Jarvik Heart?The Jarvik Heart or Jarvik-7 refers to an artificial heartfirst implanted in a patient named Barney Clark in 1982.The device, invented by Dr. Robert Jarvik, required thepatient to be permanently tethered to a large console.Recently, an American company has come up with theabiomed device — a fully implantable artificial heart.Although the people in whom the mechanical heart wasimplanted didn’t survive, the FDA exempted the companymanufacturing it on humanitarian grounds, and has allowedit to sell about 4,000 devices every year.

Which nutrients are created or destroyed whenWhich nutrients are created or destroyed whenWhich nutrients are created or destroyed whenWhich nutrients are created or destroyed whenWhich nutrients are created or destroyed whencurds are made from milk?curds are made from milk?curds are made from milk?curds are made from milk?curds are made from milk?Curds are made by mixing a few spoonfuls of commercialyoghurt made with live cultures of bacteria into pasteurisedmilk. A mixed culture of lactobacillus bulgaricus andstreptococcus thermophilus consumes the milk sugar orlactose for energy and excretes lactic acid which curdlesthe milk. Curds retain the fat, mineral and vitamin contentof milk, but have only one-third to two-thirds the amountof lactose. Curds are, therefore, more digestible than milkfor lactose intolerant people.

The secret to success is to offend the greatest number of people.George Bernard Shaw


Ministries fine tune bill to check terror funds

Residential Centre for Autistics

Amid reports of suspecteddiversion of foreign

funds to terroristorganisations, the homeministry including finance andsocial justice have beenasked to give their views onthe draft amendments to theForeign ContributionRegulation Act (FCRA)aimed at curbing misuse offoreign funds.The draft legislation wasframed by the centralgovernment to keep a tab onhuge foreign contributionsreceived by a number ofNGOs so that their misuse, ifany, could be curbed.As per MHA’s report, 18,540of the 30,321 registeredorganisations in Indiacollectively received foreignfunds to the tune of Rs6,256.68 crore during 2004-05.Experts suspect that part ofthe foreign contributions arebeing clandestinely divertedto some organisations

sympathetic to terror outfitsin India. Though the exactamount to the foreigncontribution being used asterror fund is yet to beascertained by the agencies,the proposed amendments inFCRA would help thegovernment to screen suchfunds stringently.Incidentally, among states andUnion Territories, TamilnaduRs 1,190.64 crore) reportedthe highest receipt of foreigncontribution followed byDelhi (Rs 1,075.23 crore) andAndhra Pradesh (Rs 913.17crore). Among the districts,Chennai (Rs 560.40 crore)reported the highest receiptfollowed by Bangalore (Rs376.97 crore) and Mumbai(Rs 321.82 crore) during2004-05.According to the report, thelist of donor countries isheaded by US (Rs 1,926.95crore) followed by Germany(Rs 930.92 crore) and UK(Rs 764.13 crore).

According to Centre ForDisease Control And

Prevention, “Autism is themost common of thepervasive developmentaldisorders affecting one childin every 250 births and thatIndia could have an autisticpopulation of about 40 lakh.Exact causes of autism areunknown, some researchessuggest that dietary patternsand neurotoxins like lead andmercury could trigger autism.The first signs are usuallydetectable within the firsttwo years of life.Unfortunately there is nocure as such for the coalition

but early intervention byprofessionals, psycholo-gically, socially, educationallyand biologically can be a vitalaspect of management.Sonia Gandhi, congresspresident, inaugurated aresidential centre for autisticindividuals on September 8, inNew Delhi. For detailscontact: Merry Barua,director, Action for Autism(AFA), Sector-5, JasolaInstitutional Area, Behind SaiNiketan, Jasola Vihar, NewDelhi-110025; Tel: 011-40540991e-mail: [email protected].

Superman’s last movie project

Christopher Reeve’s lastfilm project, the

animated adventureEveryone’s Hero, wasreleased in theatres onSeptember 15, nearly an yearafter the superman actor’sdeath.The paralysed star took thejob of directing the kids’animated movie, andshepherded it leaving themovie unfinished.In Hollywood, most films thatlose their director midwaythrough production getshelved indefinitely, but in atestament to Reeve’s “neversay quit” personality work onEveryone’s Hero continued.The Depression-era moviecentres on a baseball-lovingnamed Yankee Irving who,despite his best efforts, can’thit a ball. But much likeReeve’s determination toovercome the spinal injurythat left him a quadriplegic,the boy refuses to give up hisdream.

“Chris’s focus was to makethat movie in one way oranother, and we pursued thatno matter what,” saidproducer Ron Tippe.Reeve rose to stardomplaying Superman in 1978’saction movie of the samename. He played the role inthree sequels.

Disabled infants are being killed

The North Koreanregime’s obsession with

racial purity has led to thekilling of disabled infants.There latest description ofKim Jong-il’s policy of stateeugenics came from a NorthKorean doctor, Ri Kwang-chol, who escaped last year

and told a forum in Seoul thatbabies with deformities werekilled soon after birth. “Thereare no people with physicaldefects in North Korea,” Risaid. Such babies were put todeath by medical staff andburied quickly, he claimed.

When you compare it to an apple, a banana has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times thephosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.


CBSE buffer for the disabled Disabled 6-yr-old gets justice

Writing the most difficultexam papers- maths,

science and English- will nowbe easy for the physicallydisabled students. In a recentmove, CBSE has asked theschools to provide a numberof concessions while markingthe children with specialneeds as the Board is all setto provide special training toteachers to check theseanswer scripts.CBSE has been observingthat physically and visuallydisabled children are little lesscompetent than the generalkids on three subjects- maths,science, and English.However the Board wantsthem to be comfortable withthese subjects and encouragethem to take up thesesubjects in future. And theirinterest can be generatedpartly by providing them withgood marks in the exams.The Board wants to sensitisethe teachers about how toevaluate and mark theanswer scripts of these kids.A group of teachers will beidentified and special trainingwill be provided to them to

ensure that a physically orvisually disabled kid doesn’tcomplain that he/she is notmarked fairly.In the recent set of rules,schools have been asked toexempt a physically disabledchild from studying thirdlanguage up to Class VIIIbesides an additional one hourwill be given to suchexaminees. Moreover, aseparate set of questionpapers in enlarged print formaths and science andtechnology in Class X will beprovided for the candidateshaving visual impairment.The candidates may bepermitted to draw thediagrams but it is notmandatory for the candidatesto do the calculationsthemselves.A separate column has beenprovided on the title page ofthe answer books forindicating the category ofphysically disabled candidatesso that these answer bookscould be segregated forsending them separately to theregional office of the Board.

No entry for guide dogs in Muslim taxis

Muslim taxi drivers werefacing discrimination

complaints in Melbourne inAustralia from dog-aidedblind after refusing to carryguide dogs on the ground thatit violated Islamic teachings.Many dog-aided blind peoplehave lodged discriminationcomplaints with the state ofVictorian Taxi Directorate. Aspokesman of the apex body-Victorian Taxi Association,Neil Sach, said in October,the association had appealed

to the mufti of Melbourne togive religious approval forMuslim cabbies to carryguide dogs.A Muslim driver, Imran, whomentioned that the guide dogissue was difficult for him,said: “I don’t refuse to takepeople, but it’s hard for mebecause my religion tells meI should not go near dogs.”Among 2,000 Muslims taxidrivers in Melbourne manywere from countries withstrict Islamic teachings.

A six-year-old boy whobecame permanently

disabled due to improperplastering of his fractured leftarm, in April 2003, by anayurvedic doctor R.S.Madhukar, has won acompensation of Rs. 1.5 lakhas a consumer court has heldthe doctor guilty of medicalnegligence. State consumercommission president JusticeJ.D. Kapoor and memberRumnita Mittal in New Delhiheld doctor R.S. Madhukar’sconduct as an ‘‘act of grossnegligence.’’ He played withthe life of a small child whose

left arm is permanentlyimpaired and whole bodysuffers from 50% permanentdisability and can not escapefrom the responsibility ofcompensating Vikas, the boy.The commission observed:“He was practicing ayurvedaand undertook the treatmentof the chid as if he was anorthopaedic surgeon. Itappears that the doctor wascompletely ignorant of thefact that tightly bandaging orplastering the hand with suchan injury was bound to resultin blocking blood supply.”

UN panel okays treaty on rightsof the disabled people

A treaty to protect therights of the world’s

650 million disabled peoplecleared a key hurdle onAugust 25, as a UN generalassembly panel approved adraft text of the convention.The convention, which islikely to take effect in 2008or 2009, would requirenations ratifying it to adoptlaws prohibiting discrimi-nation on the basis of anyform of disability fromblindness to mental illness.Nations would also have toeliminate any discriminatorylaws.

It would oblige governmentsto fight stereotypes andprejudices and promoteawareness of thecapabilities of people withdisabilit ies and theircontributions to society.It would protect disablednewborns’ right to life, andensure children withdisabilit ies are notseparated from theirparents against their will. Ageneral assembly draftingcommittee that includes all192 UN member-nationshas been working since2001 on the treaty.

Kind-hearted rich men

The Bill & Melinda GatesFoundation dwarfed all

other charities with anendowment of more than$30 billion. In October,America’s second richestman, Buffett, pledged another$30 billion to the Foundation.

Gates and Buffett are doingmore for the world than allthe dinner party do-gooders,chuggers (charity muggers),telethon appeals, good-causegimmick artists and politicaljobsworths combined.

The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water; but to walk on the earth.Chinese Proverb


Leprosy eradicated : Not yet Moms who ‘shared’ same man meet

In December 2005, Indiaeliminated leprosy

following an anti-leprosyprogramme spanning 50years. But incidence ofleprosy continues to be highin pockets. According to theWorld Health Organisation,leprosy is eliminated in acountry if the number ofcases per 10,000 people isone or less. If the number ofcases breaches the mark ofone, WHO says, there is acause for serious worry.While the national averagehas dipped to below one, inDelhi the average is 2.04cases every 10,000 people. Inreal terms, as of July thisyear, Delhi has 3383 leprosypatients. That is an increase

of 1134 new cases betweenMarch and July this year. Thecity also has a high rate ofdisability — caused by thedisease — compared to thenational average of 1.9percent. In Delhi, the averageis 3.2 percent.Since leprosy only spreadswhen someone is in constantproximity with an infectedperson, that’s why the diseasehas a high incidence in Delhi.Most migrant labourers fromBihar and Orissa tend to staytogether and work at thesame place. Chhattisgarh,Chandigarh, Dadra & NagarHaveli (highest in India withincidence of 2.60) are alsoawaiting a leprosy eradication.

Medical Blunders happen in UK too

M edical blunders inwhich patients have

had the wrong body partremoved have soared inU.K. by 50% over threeyears. Last year, at least 40patients came round fromsurgery to find themselvesvictims of such mistakes bysurgeons.Meanwhile, compensationpayouts for these blundershave risen by more than100% over three years tojust over £1 million in thefinancial year 2005-06.Among the clinical mishapsfrom the last three yearswere: eight incidents of thewrong disc being removed;five cases of the wrong legbeing amputated; four casesof the wrong hip beingtaken. At least one case ofthe wrong testicle beingremoved; at least one caseof a woman being given a

hysterectomy in error after arecords mix-up. Othermistakes include the wrongset of lungs beingtransplanted into a patientand child who wascircumcised after doctorsvisited the wrong home.There were 27 claims forwhat is known as ‘wrongsite surgery’ in 2003-2004,rising to 35 the followingfinancial year and 40 in thelast financial year.Last year, National HealthService in UK paid out atotal of £560 million indamages and costs formedical negligence.According to the figures-released following afreedom of informationrequest by a news agency-extraction of the wrongtooth was the mostcommon blunder, with 35such cases.

Michelle Jorgenson ofNederland, Colorado

thought it was odd that hereight-year-old daughterCheyenne-conceived withsperm from a mystery manknown to Jorgenson only asDonor 3066- was verysensitive to sound and walkedon her toes.Jorgenson started checkingon the internet and soonlearned of at least six otherchildren around the countrywho were fathered by 3066.And of those seven, shediscovered to her alarm twohave autism, and two others,Cheyenne included, showsigns of a sensory disordertied closely to autism.The children’s motherslocated one anotherbeginning a year ago throughthe Donor Sibling Registry, a

website that enables mothersartificially inseminated by thesame donor-and childrenfathered by the same man-to find each other.In this case, the women allused 3066, whose sperm wasprovided by the CaliforniaCryobank, based in LosAngeles.Jorgenson, who lives inSacramento Calif found outthat some of the othersiblings have other disabilitiesthat are or are not attributedto the donor. ‘‘I wouldn’ thave chose him had I knownthis had existed,” saidJorgenson. The website thatbrought them together is runout of Wendy Kramer’shome in Nederland. Kramerstarted the registry so her sonRyan could find his siblings.

Toxic toys

Harmless-looking toyscould on the longer run

damage a child’s IQ(intelligence quotient),retarding his/her ability tolearn or harming his liver/kidneys or affect both,according to a study by anNGO, Toxics Link. Toysfrom Delhi were found tohave much higher levels ofcadmium (a neurotoxin thathas toxic effects on thekidney) over the ones fromMumbai and Chennai. Thestudy released onSeptember 18, found that upto 30 percent of the toyscollected from Mumbaicontained more lead thanwhat US’s ConsumerProducts Safety Comm-ission regulations permit.

Also, around 20 percent ofMumbai’s toys had morelead than what the USEnvironmental ProtectionAgency permits.

Health impact of leadl Mental retardationl Learning disabilitiesl Behavioural problemsl Affects the nervous &

reproductive systemsl Affects kidneysl High blood pressurel Anaemial Accumulates in the bonesl Harmful to the

developing brains offoetuses and youngchildren

l Interferes with themetabolism of calciumand vitamin D

Around 15 million blood cells are produced and destroyed in the human body every second.


DU eyes Braille This village holds a light to the world

Delhi University launcheda multi-purpose

resource centre which notonly has a huge collection ofstudy material in Brailleformat, but also specialstudios to convert audiocassettes into text messagesin Braille.The centre was opened in theCentral Reference Library,which works as an extensionto Braille Library.The ministry of social justiceand empowerment providedRs 10 lakh for developmentof the centre, which wasinaugurated on August 22.The centre primarily has onfocus three activities- Brailleproduction, talking bookproduction and electronic textpreparation- to facilitate thelearning process for over 400visually impaired studentspursuing undergraduate andpostgraduate programmes,and also for the sizeablenumber of faculty memberswith serious vision-impairment.The computer with specialsoftware translates text-

books written in regionallanguages into Braille format.It has the facility for gettingthe print of the translatedreading material with the aidof a Braille printer and copiesare forwarded to visually-challenged students.Audio-cassettes containingreading and referencematerial are converted intotext format, and thentransformed into Braille.However, facilities to convertthe text material into audioform with the aid of a talkingsoftware are also available.Besides making the learningprocess easier for the visuallyimpaired, the university is alsoplanning to make a barrier-free environment for them.DU is in the process ofmaking the physicalinfrastructure conducive tothe disabled academiccommunity in the form oframps and wheel-chairaccessible toilets. It is alsoplanning to develop cultural,sports, recreational facilitiesand programmes for thosewith special needs.

UDM offers realty sopsto the disabled

The Union urbandevelopment ministry

(UDM) has proposed aspecial discount forphysically–disabled personsin the real estate sector.Under the scheme, theministry has fixed a quota forthe disabled people in theallotment of flats, plots andshops. While the physically-disabled people will have areserve of 1% in plots andflats, 5% shops would bebooked for them in the

commercial category.According to its submissionbefore high court judge,Justice S. Ravindra Bhat, theUDM has stated that thephysically-disabled personswill now be able to avail a 5%rebate in all investmentsrelate to houses, shops andplots. The scheme wasfinalised on October 13 andwas in response to the caseof Sarita Kashyap V/s DDApending before the high court.

A village in AndhraPradesh has shown the

way. All the 700 inmates ofBheemavaram village, in thebackward district ofVizianagaram, have pledgedtheir eyes to bring light to aneedy person’s life.It all started with an eyehospital functioning near thevillage. The staff at the hospitaldecided to spend their sparetime in educating the people

the need of donating their eyes.Initially, there was someresistance to the idea, as peoplewere afraid of disfiguring theirfaces. But gradually the staffmanaged to win over theirconfidence by showing themthe successful replant of eyes.What started as a tricklebecame flood when the entirevillage signed a paper pledgingtheir eyes for donation to thehospital.

Cut and pasteMan gets back severed penis

Doctors at Sir Ganga RamHospital, New Delhi,

performed a rare surgery ona 28-year old man to reattachhis completely severed penis.The operation happenedsome time back and thepatient is already back to hisnormal life with a fullyfunctional organ.The patient lives in a smalltown, about 200 km fromDelhi. One evening, he wasattacked by some people whochopped off his penis.He rushed to a local doctorwho cleaned the bobbitisedorgan and then put it inside aplastic bag with ice.It was six hours after the

incident that the man reachedthe hospital. The doctors didsome preliminary blood testsand moved him into theoperation theatre promptly.The surgery done under verypowerful microscope, tookabout seven hours tocomplete. In accidents or incases of assault, if a bodypart gets severed, it should beimmediately put in a plasticbag which should be placedin an ice bag. The storageshould be such that thesevered part does not comein direct contact with the ice.In 90% cases, amputatedparts can be properlyrestored.

Laughter is the suprememedicine

A ndrea Brushneen ofEngland, 31, went in

coma after a car accidenttwo years ago. The most shecould manage were smallfacial movements. Herfamily were told they wereunlikely to hear her voiceagain. But when her seven-year-old son, Mark startedcracking childish family jokes

at his mother’s bedside inErmin Neurological Centre inGloucester, England,Brushneen laughed out loud.Doctor’s then ruled her to befit enough to leave the hospitaland enjoy her Christmas. Thedoctors and the family arehopeful that soon she mightstart talking also.

If you are successful, you may win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.Mother Teresa


Plan for late-learners in school Woman gets hands back bytransplantFor dyslexic children and

their parents inMaharashtra, the BombayHigh Court’s order directingall schools in Maharashtra toabide strictly by theguidelines for students withlearning disabilities, hascome as a ray of hope.Order of July 27, makes itmandatory for schools inMaharashtra to screenstudents who fail to do wellin examination because oflearning disabilities in thethird and sixth standards.Once a learning disability isconfirmed, the school isbound to provide facilities tothe students free of cost.On July 23, a Maharashtra

government -appo in tedexpert committee had alsorecommended thatcompulsory training beimparted to teachers forhandling students withlearning disabilities.Its main recommendationwas to integrate suchstudents into regularschooling. The committeehad recommendedconcessions for suchstudents like giving 25%extra time duringexaminations, provision forreaders/writers and hadstressed upon an oralexamination along with awritten one.

The world first doublehand transplant on a

female was successfullycarried out, in Valencia,Spain. A team of surgeons atHospital La Fe in Valenciacarried out the pioneeringoperation which lasted 10hours, on Alba, 47 years. Theoperation took place onNovember 30, after anappropriate donor of the samesex, race and blood group wasfound. In this case, it was awoman who was declaredbrain dead following anaccident.The donor’s arms wereremoved from above theelbow, and the severed limbswere cooled and transportedto Hospital La Fe in less thanfive hours. A team of morethan 10 medical professionals,including surgeons andanaesthetist, then worked toattach them to Alba’s arms.Both transplants were carriedout simultaneously. First,Alba’s forearms had to beadjusted to match the size ofthe donor limbs.Bones were fixed with metalplates and screws, andmicroscopic surgery was usedto attach the arteries, veinsand nerves.Alba had both her originalhands amputated after anexplosion in a laboratory

where she was studyingchemistry nearly 30 yearsago. Six double handedtransplants have been carriedout on men. The first wascarried out on a 33-year-oldman in France in 2000.In another case of handtransplant, David F Savage,54, who lost his right hand 30years ago became thirdsuccessful recipient in the USon November 29. Dr. WarrenBreidenbach the lead surgeonat Jewish Hospital inLouisville in Kentucky, whoperformed the surgery, saidthe blood vessels leading toSavage’s hand had shrunkbecause they were not inuse.Of the two-dozen handtransplant recipientsworldwide, Savage may havegone the longest betweenlosing a hand and having atransplant. That amount oftime creates a “slightly higherrisk” of vascular compro-mise, when blood stopsflowing, because the bloodvessels used in the transplantwere dormant for so long.The procedure involved twosurgeries and 32 doctors. Thefirst two US hand transplantswere also performed atJewish Hospital, in 1999 and2001.

Request for euthanasia denied

I talian poet PiergiorgioWelby, 60, who has battled

muscular dystrophy for 40years, expressed his desire todie. In mid December, anItalian court denied legalpermission to doctor to whichhe is attached for more than

nine years. His book Let MeDie was released inNovember. He also appealedto Italy’s president GiorgioNapolitano, in September,which was turned down. Heis fast losing his capacity tospeak and eat.

Blind teacher is Mr. Popular

When Suresh Biswaljoined a primary school

in Gagoey village inKendrapada (Orissa) as ateacher, parents were up inarms. The reason: Biswal wasvisually impaired. Two yearslater, he has won the villagers’trust and the children’s hearts.“He is our favourite teacher.He never beats us. Instead, healways tries to ensure that we

completely understand whathe teaches,” said a student,Babu Sahu. “I do not want toscare the children with tomes.I try to teach in a way thathelps them retain knowledge,”Biswal said. A postgraduatefrom Utkal University inBhubaneswar, the 37-year oldis now the most popularteacher of the village.

Now read this...

The Delhi University isnot sure if dyslexia, a

learning disability affectingreading ability, falls in theambit of disability quota foreducational institutions.Sonum Malhotra, a studentof DPS Mathura Road,scored 84 percent in ClassXII and applied forBachelors in Fine Arts, at theDelhi College of Arts, aDelhi Government College.She was seeking admission

under the disability quotabecause she was detected tobe dyslexic when she was inthe sixth standard. To her surprise she wasrefused admission by thecollege, while St. Stephen’sand Lady Shri Ramaccepted her for historyHonours and psychologyHonours courses respect-ively under the disabilityquota.

Symptoms of migraine: Nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, noise or smell,neck or shoulder pain or stiffness, visual disturbances (auras usually precede pain in migraines),

abdominal distention, compulsion to yawn, dry mouth and shivering


Hawking honoured by the RoyalSociety

Physicist Stephen Hawkingreceived the highest

award for scientificachievement on November23, for his work in theoreticalphysics and cosmology.The Copley medal first wasawarded in 1731 by the RoyalSociety, Britain‘s elitescientific academy. Previousrecipients have includedCharles Darwin, AlbertEinstein, Louis Pasteur andCapt. James Cook.

Hawking, 64, is amathematics professor at theUniversity of Cambridge. Hisgroundbreaking theoreticalwork has allowed for theclassification and greaterunderstanding of black holes.Hawking has written fourbooks, including A BriefStory of Time and theUniverse in a Nutshell,keeping up a busy careerdespite being paralysed bymotorneuron disease.

No trained teacher for disabled ingovt schools

The ministry of humanresource development

(MHRD) had includedinclusive education as apriority under the Xth FiveYear Plan, but Delhigovernment schools havefailed to accommodate kidswith special needs, stated asurvey by RehabilitationCouncil of India (RCI) incollaboration with MHRD.As per the recent survey, outof 1,100 government schoolsin Delhi, only 800 admit kids

with special needs. Thoughthere are around 3,000 suchkids studying in governmentschools, not a single schoolhas a trained special educatoror a resource centre for thesekids.Under Clause 13 of the RCIAct, if you are teaching achild with disability withouthaving a special educator inthe school, it’s a punishableoffence for the head ofschool.

Internet café for disabled users

The computers —outfitted with a joystick

mouse, magnifying softwareand equipment allowingpeople to point and click withtheir eye movements- makeGood Bytes one of just ahandful nationwide speci-fically designed for disabledusers.The café, which opened onDecember 15, in San Antonio,is a first for GoodwillIndustries, a non-profitorganisation.

AIIMS hits centur y,SGRH hits a half-century

The All India Institute ofMedical Sciences

(AIIMS) in New Delhi, onOctober 26, became the firsthospital in northern India tosuccessfully complete 100cochlear implants in children.Cochlear implants areelectronic devices, which helpshearing impaired people tohear. It is also called the Bionicear. The device bypasses thenon-functioning inner ear.To express gratitude, families ofthese patients organised acultural event for the doctors atAIIMS called “A SoundFuture.”“Our hospital has a trained teamcomprising of ENT surgeonsand audiologists who made itpossible,” head of the ENTdepartment Dr R. C. Deka said.“Damage to cochlea causedeafness Meningitis, viral

infection can cause damage tocochlea. However, develop-ment of speech depends onvarious factors like the age ofimplantee, degree of cochlearmalformation and subsequenttraining,” explained BhartiBerry, audiologist and speechtherapist at AIIMS.Sir Ganga Ram Hospital(SGRH) in New Delhi,recently touched a milestonewhen its ENT departmentsuccessfully put cochlearimplants (CI) in 50 childrenand adults. All the patientswho were speech and hearingimpaired before the implantcan now both speak and hear.SGRH was the first non-governmental hospital inNorth India to offer this path-breaking medical technologyto severely impaired hearingindividuals.

Goodwill has long had jobcentres around San Antonioto help disabled residents findwork, but surveys found that70% of the area’s disabledare unemployed and 60%don’t have computer skills.Because of the correlationbetween joblessness and lackof computer skills, Goodwillwanted to build somethingthat would give more disabledpeople access to assistivetechnology.

H C wants relief plan for autistic childrenreleases a huge sum for thewelfare of such childrenevery year, the money neverreaches the beneficiaries.The counsel for the NationalTrust for the Welfare ofAutistic (NTWA) claimedthat the Centre was annuallyreleasing Rs 11 crore asfunds to six NGOs in Delhiresponsible for the welfare ofchildren with mentaldisabilities.But it could not furnishpropear details on the numberof institutions run by theseNGOs.The Bench also directed theofficials to formulate ascheme and lay down thecriteria to issue disabilitycertificates to peoplesuffering from autism.

The Delhi High Court, onDecember 12, pulled up

the Centre, Delhi governmentand the National Trust forDisabilities for not coming upwith a proper rehabilitationplan for people affected withautism.The agencies, according tothe bench, had completelyignored the plan despite beingtold on several occasions tohold meeting and chart out asolution. The court had alsodirected the agencies to filea report in this connection.The division benchcomprising Justice Swant-anter Kumar and Justice G.S.Sistani was hearing a PILfiled by the parents of someautistic children complainingthat although the government

There are two kinds of failures; those who thought and never did, and those who did and never thought.Laurence I. Peter


A wonder drug that could beat blindness

Brain damaged man helped byelectric pulses

Cuddly seals honoured inrobotics prize

According to a report ofDecember 21, a

feeding machine and afurry, therapeutic seal—both designed to make lifeeasier for older people –are among the robotsdeveloped in Japan. TheMy Spoon feeding robot,which won a prize in theservice category at RobotAward 2006, helps elderlyor disabled people eat witha joystick-control ledswivelling arm. My Spoon,which is already sold inJapan and Europe, doesn’tforce feed: the spoon-fittedarm stops at apreprogrammed position infront of the mouth so userscan bite and swallow at

their leisure, according todeveloper Secom Co. Itsells for as much as408,100 yen ($3,454).Another robot receiving anaward in the servicecategory is Paro, a furryseal fitted with sensorsbeneath its fur andwhiskers. It responds topetting by opening andclosing its eyes and movingits flippers. About 800 of theseal robots, developed byJapan’s National Instituteof Advanced IndustrialScience, are used fortherapy in Japanesenursing homes and byautistic and disabledchildren.

The number of people dying of HIV/AIDS each day is 8,500, equivalent of 17 jumbos crashing

India Trade Promotion Organisation holds the country’sbiggest international Trade Fair for two weeks every yearstarting November 14. According to Safdar Khan, generalmanager, ITPO “Next year’s fair may have a few entrypoints dedicated to the people with disabilities and the aged.Apart from making special entrances for them, we haverequested all the states to make their pavilions disabled-friendly .”

World famous scientistStephen Hawking and hiswife are divorcing. Solicitorsacting for the scientist, whosuffers from motor neuronedisease, have lodged divorcepapers at Cambridge Court.

After PM Manmohan Singh took up the matter of thethree disabled students being denied a service cadredespite being selected in the 2005 civil services exams, allthe three were alloted services on Novermber 20.Secretary of the department of personnel and training (DoPT)L.K. Joshi confirmed that Salma Fahim of Bangalore, whohas hearing impairment, was allotted Indian Administrativeservice while Abhijit Chakraborty of Kolkata with partialhearing impairment was given Indian Foreign Service andBharatpur’s Mani Ram Sharma with profound hearingimpairment was allotted Post and Telegraph FinanceAccounts Service (P&TFAS)

A new drug that stopspeople going blind in later

life could help some regain theirvision, say researchers.Thousands could benefit fromusing Lucentis, which isdesigned to combat the wetform of age related maculardegeneration (AMD), a studypublished in the New EnglandJournal of Medicine, inOctober, shows Lucentis canprevent vision loss in nine outof 10 patients. One-thirdexperienced a “marked

improvement” in vision,enabling them to read morelines on an eye chart thanbefore and return toabandoned hobbies. The USstudy involved 716 patientswho received monthlyinjections of the drug into theaffected eye over a two-yearperiod. It is the first time atreatment for wet AMD hasbeen found to significantlyimprove vision in large-scaleclinical trials.

A team of neuroscientistsin Atlanta reported, in

mid-October, that they hadrestored some movement andspeech to a severely brain-damaged man by stimulatinghis brain with pulses ofelectric current.The 38-year-old man, whohad been barely conscious forsix years, gradually regainedthe use of his left arm andbegan to utter coherent wordsfor the first time since hisinjury in an assault, thedoctors said.Before surgery to implanttwo wire electrodes deep inhis brain, he could respond toquestion and commandsoccasionally, by moving histhumb or nodding, but wasotherwise virtually mute andunable to move.

Experts said the case couldrevive interests in electricalstimulation for the thousandssubsisting in state of partialconsciousness.The doctors threaded twowires through the man’s skulland into a subcortical areacalled the thalamus, whichacts as a switching centre forcircuits that support arousal,attention and emotion, amongother functions. The wireswere connected to apacemakerlike unit, implantedunder the man’s collarbone.Soon after the operation andafter the device was turnedon to adjust the stimulatingcode, the patient began tospeak words, identifyingpictures in a battery of testsand became gradually moreattentive.


To beat pain, find the right beat Easy exercises will cure dyslexia

Music therapy is nowbeing used to treat

everything from autism tocancer. Listening to musiccan help you cope better withpain, exercise moreeffectively, perform stressfultasks, be less aggressive andeat less. A study reported inmid-October found listeningto soothing classical musiccan reduce chronic pain byup to 21% and depression byup to 25%. Other studiesshow that patients exposed tomusic experience less intensepain and use lower doses ofpainkillers than those whosuffer in silence. Rheumatoidarthritis sufferers wholistened to just 20 minutes of

their favourite music dailyreported a significantreduction in pain. The mereact of singing, meanwhile,was shown to increase thequality of life of people withprogressive dementia.Some studies show thatmusic can lower bloodpressure and respirationrates. Dr RaymondMacdonald, a musicpsychologist from GlasgowCaledonian University says,“If you listen to yourfavourite music, you re-livepleasant emotions, often verypowerfully. This can alteryour perception of pain andreduce stress.”

Bioengineered tissue repairsdamaged knee cartilages

A new study headed byAnthony Hollander,

professor of rheumatologyand tissue engineering atBristol University, UK,reported in early July thatknee cartilage injuries can beeffectively repaired by tissueengineering, and thatosteoarthritis does not stopthe regeneration process. Tissue engineering uses amixture of biology, chemistryand materials science to growtissues in the lab just like thosein the body. The new study isthe first to look in detail atwhat happens to tissues afterthey have been implanted inpatients.The tissue engineeringmethod used in this studyinvolved isolating cells fromhealthy cartilage removedduring surgery from 23

patients with an average ageof 36 years. Cartilage cellsdonated by patients weregrown in culture for 14 days.After that, the researchersseeded them into scaffoldsmade of esterified hyaluronicacid- a compound that occursnaturally in cartilage- andgrew them for another 14days on the scaffolds.The cells and scaffold werethen inserted to fix tears ofup to 11 square centimetresin the knee cartilage of thepatients. More than a yearlater analysis showed thecartilage had maturedsuccessfully, even in patientswith osteoarthritis.Osteoarthritis, or degener-ative arthritis, is a conditionmost common in the elderly,where cartilage slowlydisappears from joints.

A set of simple exercisescould cure dyslexia,

experts say. The exercisesare designed to stimulate co-ordination and includewalking downstairsbackwards with your eyesclosed, throwing a bean bagfrom one hand to the otherand standing on a ball.The treatment alsodramatically improved thebehaviour of dyslexicchildren who suffered fromattention problems andhyperactivity, reveals a studyin late October.Many of them currently havetheir behaviour ‘controlled’ bydrugs. But it appears that the

exercises could be far moreeffective- without anychemical side-effects.The revolutionary Dyslexia,Dyspraxia and AttentionDisorder programme is basedon the idea that dyslexia iscaused by lack of co-ordination. Coventrybusinessman Wynford Dorediscovered the technique inhis search to find a cure forhis daughter Susie, now 33,who suffered from dyslexia.Technology that was originallydesigned for astronauts, whosuffer from a form oftemporary dyslexia, was usedto develop the exercises.

Painters’ kids face birth defect risk

M en who paint for aliving should think

twice before choosing theprofession, for they might beplacing their unborn kids at anincreased risk of birth defectsand low birth weight. A studyof construction workers in theNetherlands, concluded inAugust, has linked low birthweight and birth defects topaternal airborne exposure to

organic solvents such aspaints, thinner and cleansers.“This is the first time we havegood exposure data in such astudy, but more robustinvestigations are needed toguide policy-makers,” saidIgor Burstyn, a University ofAlberta professor ofoccupational and environ-mental health.

The amazing earpiece thatstopped stammering

For more than 20 years,Heidi King’s life was

blighted by a severe stammer.But she is learning thepleasure of conversation atlast after becoming the firstBriton to receive anelectronic implant developedin the US. The SpeechEasydevice is an earpiece whichechoes the 25-years-old’sown voice. It tricks her braininto thinking she is talkingalong with somebody else,

which ‘unblocks’ the speechimpediment, the theorybehind it is the ‘choral effect’– the phenomenon whichsees victims of profoundstammers become fluentwhen they sing, whisper orspeak as part of a group. Kingsaid the implant had greatlyimproved her life. “It is almostas if I am detached. That is astrange person speaking, itisn’t me. I am listening to alittle man in my ear.”

When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.George Washington Carver


Scientist begin human tests on‘bionic eye’

AIIMS dropout earns US patentfor disabled-friendly vehicle

Australian researchersdeveloping a “bionic

eye” say early tests havesucceeded in stimulatinglimited visual sensation inpeople suffering a rare formof genetic blindness.Scientists from the BionicEye Foundation at Sydney’sPrince of Wales Hospitalreported, in early September,that they have launchedhuman clinical trials of thedevice, which employs thesame technology nowroutinely used in cochlearimplants to restore hearing.

Professor Minas Coroneosaid the trials involved placingsmall electrodes on thesurface of the eye then usingan electric current tostimulate the retina, the thinlayer of cells in the back ofthe eye that respond to light.Coroneo said a video cameraattached to a pair of glasseswas used to pick up imagesand transfer them to theelectrodes then stimulate theretina to send messages downthe optic nerve to the visualarea of the brain.

Robotic aid for stroke victims

I n experiments across theworld, robots are providing

the human caring touch topatients who need more helpthan there are therapists. Aftermore than 2½ years of physicaltherapy and electronicstimulation, stroke victim MikeMarin still couldn’t open a doorwith his left hand. Now, thanksto a robot, Marin can open adoor and his atrophied left armisn’t completely uselessanymore.For three months in rehab at asuburb north of New York, anunnamed and unlikely lookingrobot guided Marin’s armrepeatedly through an ordinaryvideo game. Where normaltherapy failed, the constantrobot-guided repetitionsworked.“I still got a long way to go.The robot really put a lot ofmuscle tone back in my arm,”said the computer networkspecialist who had a stroke.When 40, Marin, who workedwith a robot at the Burke

Rehabilitation Hospital inWhite Plains, NY, is one ofabout 300 stroke patients inexperimental studies with arobot that’s a cross betweenan exercise machine andvideogame. And many ofthese patients showedsignificant improvement, saidDr Christopher Bever, chiefof neurology at the VeteransAdministration MedicalCenter in Baltimore, whereone of the studies wasconducted, in November.Roboticists at MIT-Hermano Igo Krebs andNeville Hogan say that thepatients’ scores on thevideogame – based on theirability to guide the joystickand grasp and release itproperly without the robot’shelp have improved about10%. They were able toshow consistently betteroutcome with therapy usingrobots rather thanconventional care.

Anadish Pal, at 42, is a USpatent holder for two

unique invention model of anelectric personal mobilityvehicle (PMV) designed forthe common man.

vehicle five years back and gotthe US patent in March thisyear. “It is ready to go to theprototype development stageand manufacturingcompanies.”The advantages of the vehiclewith ring-like, large, parallelwheels, which moves withoutany mechanical brakes, aretwo ring-like brushless DCmotors measuring 50 inches indiameter – of which one isdriven by a large torodial

Eating fish helps aged eyes

electric motor—that helps thecar move easily even on thecongested roads and keepsthe vehicle stable. The rim ofthe wheel measures around sixto seven inches radially andthe axle is hollow measuring50 inches. The passengers fiton the seat which is designedin between the two largewheels thus safe-guardingthem against any damage.”While designing the vehicle,convenience of the physically-disabled was kept in priority.The car moves with the helpof joystick as in the aircraftand can be controlled easilyby a physically disabledperson. It can also be parkedin a relatively tight parkingarea,” Pal says.

The self-t a u g h telectronicsdesignerconcept-ualised thet w o -whee led

Two new studies give onemore reason to eat a diet

rich in fish: prevention of age-related macular degener-ation, the leading cause ofblindness in old age.The omega-3 fatty acidsfound in fish such as salmonare already known to help theheart and brain stay healthy.The new studies thatappeared on July 10, in theArchives of Ophthalmology,confirm the findings ofprevious studies that also linkfish consumption withprevention of maculardegeneration. A study of 681elderly American menshowed that those who ate

fish twice a week had a 36percent lower risk of maculardegeneration. In the otherstudy, which followed 2,335Australian men and womenover five years, people whoate fish just once a weekreduced their risk by 40percent.The US study also found thatsmokers nearly doubled theirrisk of the eye conditioncompared to people whonever smoked. Maculardegeneration starts withblurring in the centre of whatthe eye sees. It progresses toblindness, slowly or quicklydepending on the type ofdisease.

Of the over 10,000 food commercials that feature on Indian television annually,80 percent are for calorie dense fast foods.


It’ s yellow & green for your eyes Implant to let paralysed eat

Children have long beentold that eating carrots

will improve their vision, butnow researchers say yellowand green vegetables,including peas, sweet cornand broccoli, containchemicals that may helpprotect the eyes.Researchers studied the dietsof 1,700 women agedbetween 50 and 79 to see ifdiet affected their chances ofdeveloping eye ailments.The researchers found thatwomen under 75 were less

likely to develop age relatedmacular degeneration(AMD) if over the 15 yearsthey consistently ate lots ofvegetables such as leafygreen vegetables, sweet corn,squash, broccoli and peas,reported online edition ofDaily Mail in August. Thevegetables contain carote-noids – a powerful biologicalantioxidant which thescientists say may protectAMD that is the leading causeof blindness among peopleover 50.

Iodine deficient!

Putting iodine in salt, publichealth experts say, may be

the simplest and most cost-effective health measure in theworld. Each ton of salt needsabout two ounces of potassiumiodate, which costs about$1.15.Worldwide, about two billionpeople- a third of the globe -get too little iodine, includinghundreds of millions in India andChina. Studies show that iodinedeficiency is the leadingpreventable cause of mental

retardation. Even moderatedeficiency, especially inpregnant women and infants,lowers intelligence by 10 to 15IQ points, shaving incalculablepotential off a nation’sdevelopment. The most visibleand severe effects - disablinggoiters, cretinism and dwarfism– affect a tiny minority, usuallyin mountain villages. But 16%of the world’s people have atleast mild goiter, a swollenthyroid gland in the neck.

Dog walking helps seniors meetexercise goals

Man’s best friend mayalso help keep their

elderly owners healthy, butonly if the dog ownersregularly walk their pets, newresearch shows. “Dogownership, per se, does notequate to better health –walking the dog appears tofacilitate health benefits,”study co-author Dr RolandThorpe of the Johns HopkinsBayview Care Centre inBaltimore, said in October.“Dog owners who actuallywalk their dog are more likely

to meet the US SurgeonGeneral’s recommendationfor physical activity, have aquicker walking pace andexhibit better fitness,” hereported. Previous studieshave found that older adultswho own pets engage in morephysical activity and have lessdisability than seniors who donot own pets. Whether theincreased walking among petowners protected themagainst a loss of mobility is notknown, however.

Patients paralysed fromthe neck down will be able

to feed themselves within thenext five years using theirhands and arms. JohnDonoghue, of BrownUniversity in Rhode Island, ispioneering the technology tomake this possible.Brain implants that haveallowed quadriplegics tomove computer cursors withthe power of thought willsoon be capable ofstimulating patients’ ownmuscles, giving them enoughcontrol over their limbs tograsp and manipulate aspoon.The range of movement willbe limited initially, but thetechnology has the potentialto transform the lives ofpeople with spinal cordinjuries who are reliant onothers to feed, wash anddress them. “They are notgoing to be writing or piano –playing, but it is a first step toproving a physical connectioncan be remade from the brainto the muscles,” Donoghuesaid. “I’m optimistic it will bedone in five years.”The ambitious goal ofbypassing spinal damage thatcauses paralysis has emerged

from his team’s astoundingsuccess with a device calledBrainGate, an aspirin-sizedimplant that recordselectrical signals from thepart to the brain thatprocesses movement in thelimbs. In July, the workreceived world acclaim whendetails of the first twopatients to be fitted with thedevice were published inNature.One, Matt Nagle, 25, fromMassachusetts, learnt in justnine months to use it to movea cursor, open e-mails, playcomputer games and evenoperate a simple robotic arm.The other, a 55 year-old manfrom Chicago, also hadsuccess at controlling acursor before signals from thedevice were lost.Donoghue is now researchingways of refining BrainGate’ssoftware to give patients finercontrol, and of linking it to anexisting technology, functionalelectrical stimulation (FES),that can move paralysedmuscles. FES uses electricityto prompt muscles to tenseand relax artificially and hasalready been used in about300 patients with morelimited paralysis.

Those who say it can’t be done are usually interrupted by others doing it.James Ar thur Baldwin

Smoking while pregnant leads tokids’ hearing loss

A study’s report in mid-July by the University

of California, Irvine, hasproved that nicotine affectsauditory processing in thebrain of children of womenwho smoke duringpregnancy. Using rats, theresearchers showed thatnicotine exposure during theequivalent of a human’s third

trimester led to hearing-related cognitive problems.Children with auditoryprocessing deficits may havedifficulty understandingspeech in a noisyenvironment, not understandinformation that is presentedverbally, and may not be ableto tell the difference betweensimilar sounds.


Facts about tobacco Scientists develop first‘intelligent foot’

The fully functioningbionic man is a step

closer after scientistsdeveloped the world’s first‘intelligent’ foot. It has aninbuilt computer whichmakes it function almost likea human limb- and could helpmillions of people across theworld.The technology could soon beused on soldiers who havelost limbs through landmines,roadside bombs and suicideattacks. Doctors in Americahave already been using thefoot to rehabilitate soldiersand are amazed at itsdexterity. They believe thatwith further advancement itcould even allow amputees toreturn to the battlefield.The prosthetic, called theProprio, is based on USmilitary research intomotorised boots which wouldenhance soldiers’ capacity torun long distances while theyare carrying heavy loads,says a December report. The device is being tested inBritain by BBC producerStuart Hughes, 34, who losta leg below the knee whenhe stepped on a landminewhile covering the war in Iraq

three years ago. He has useda conventional artificial limbsince his amputation.He says: “This new foot isunlike anything else I’ve had.With my other limbs, youalways had to think ahead tothe type of surface in frontof you and adjust the leg.This does it all for you andthen you really do start toforget that it’s artificial.”The Proprio foot, costing£13,000, is one of a newrange of ‘bionic’ artificiallimbs designed by Icelandiccompany Ossur andlaunched in the UnitedKingdom in December. Toset it up, the new user takes15 steps during which thecomputer analyses the gait.Sensors measure themovement of the foot morethan 1,000 times a second.Richard Hirons, a prostheticsengineer at Ossur says, “Thesensors detect whether theuser is walking on levelground, going uphill ordownhill or climbing steps.Every type of terrain has adistinct signature which thesoftware controlling the footcan interpret.”

5 million people- one in tenadults-die of tobacco useeach year. If current smokingpatterns continue, it will causesome 10 millions deaths eachyear by 2020. Half the peoplethat smoke today- that isabout 650 million people- willdie of a tobacco relateddisease.l Tobacco is the only legallyavailable consumer productwhich kills people when it isused as directed.l Tobacco use is the secondleading cause of deathl It is the fourth leading causeof diseasel Smoking causes about 30percent of all cancer deaths(including 90 percent of lungcancer deaths), 17 percent ofall heart disease deaths andat least 80 percent of deathsfrom bronchitis andemphysema.

l Tobacco smoke containsover 4,000 chemicalcompounds, which arepresent either as gases or astiny particles. These include:Nicotine: This addictivesubstance stimulates thecentral nervous system,increasing the heartbeat rateand blood pressure. In largequantities nicotine isextremely poisonous.Tar: Tar is deposited in thelungs and respiratory systemand gradually absorbed. It isa mixture of many differentchemicals, includingformaldehyde, arsenic,cyanide, benzo(a)pyrene,benzene, toluene, acrolein.Carbon monoxide: Thisbinds to haemoglobin in theblood more easily thanoxygen does, thus reducingthe amount of oxygencirculating in the body.

A walking stick that calls anambulance!

A walking stick that callsan ambulance if its

owner is injured has beendeveloped by scientists, asreported in December. Therevolutionary walking aid ispacked with sensors thatcan recognise whether it isin a vertical or horizontalposition. If these detect thestick is lying flat, a tinymicrochip automaticallyplays a recorded messageprompting the owner topick it up. If the messageis repeatedly ignored, thesensors send a signal to acomputer which isprogrammed to call anambulance. The high-techdevice, invented by

German scientists, hasbeen developed to help thefrail and elderly who maylive alone and are at risk ofdeath or injury if they fall,which rises dramaticallyover the age of 75. Theprototype stick is similar towalking aids often used bythe elderly. It hasacceleration and t i l tsensors that measure thespeed and position of thestick.It is part of a large-scaleproject at the FraunhoferInstitute for ExperimentalSoftware DevelopmentUniversity of Kaiser-slautern.

About 2.4 million Indians die of coronary artery disease each year while 60 percent of the world’s cardiacpatients would be Indians by 2010.

J A man took his wife to the doctor.After a short examination thedoctor said, “Your wife’s mind hascompletely gone!” to which the manreplied, “I ’m not surprised. She’s been giving a pieceof it to me every day for the past 25 years!”

J The mother of a problem child was advised by apsychiatrist, “You are far too upset and worried aboutyour son. I suggest you take tranquillisers regularly.”On her next visit the psychiatrist asked, “Have thetranquillisers calmed you down? “Yes,” the boy’s motheranswered. “And how is your son now? The psychiatristasked, “Who cares?” the mother replied.


Bihar ’s Budhia

Can-do approach leads autistickids into sports

He may be missing bothhands and a good part

of his feet due to a defectfrom birth but he lacksneither confidence nordetermination.Seven-year-old PawanKumar is the “Budhia ofBihar” and on October 8, helived up to his nickname byrunning five kilometers in an

hour.Cheered by his friends fromUmeed—an institution for thechildren of slum dwellers—he started his run at KargilChowk and finished atShaheed Memorial in Patna.Pawan’s mentor SumanKumar wants him to run fromKashmir to Kanyakumari.And Pawan is game for it.

A quadriplegic conquest

Zermatt (Switzerland):A Japanese

quadriplegic partly realisedhis dream of climbing to thetop of one of Switzerland’shighest mountains—withaid of a friend and a robotsuit.But Seiji Uchida, who hasbeen paralysed from theneck down since a trafficaccident over two decadesago, failed to reach thesummit of the 4,164 metersBreithorn mountain onAugust 6, riding piggybackon a friend aided by amotorised exoskeleton, the43-year–old said evengetting to within 500 metresof the mountaintop was atriumph.Uchida and his friend,Takeshi Matsumoto, took acable car up the KleinMatterhorn, before a three-hour hike toward the

Breithorn. They said theycovered about 3 kilometres,before the team had to turnback with an hour of thesteepest climb remainingbecause they otherwisewould have been too late forthe cable car back down themountain.Matsumoto carried Uchidawith the help of a kind ofwearable robot known asHAL, or “Hybrid AssistiveLimb”, which gave himextra strength.HAL was developed byTsukuba Universityengineering professorYoshiyuki Sankai, whocreated it to help anoperator perform tasks anormal human would not bestrong enough for ,according to the Web pageof Sankai’s venturecompany Cyberdyne.

The members of the swimteam at Bloomington

High School South in centralIndiana cheer wildly everytime Nathan Buffie races. Inhis two years on the team,Nathan has never won firstplace at a meet. Often, hefinishes far behind.For years, children withautism were left on the side-lines, a consequence of awide spread belief that theywere incapable ofparticipation in athletics. Butwhile it is true that autisticchildren can be difficult tomotivate and resistant toexercise, they are now being

Soccer babies as ‘repair kits’

Top players storenewborns’ stem cells to

cure injuries.Premiership footballers arestoring stem cells from theirnewborn babies as a potentialfuture treatment for their owncareer-threatening sportsinjuries.They are freezing the cellstaken from the umbilical cordblood of their babies as apossible future cure for

cartilage and ligamentproblems. Stem cells can beused to regenerate damagedorgans and tissue becausethey are the earliest form ofcells.In the past five years morethan 11,000 British parentshave paid up to pounds 1,500to store their babies’ stemcells in the banks in order togrow tissue, should theirchildren become ill.

pushed to take part inphysical education progra-mmes, encouraged byexperts who say that certainsports can ease repetitivebehaviours like pacing andhead-banging as well asprovide a social outlet.Autistic children, even thosewho are considered lowfunctioning, can excel atactivities like swimming,martial arts, running andsurfing.Athletics programme forautistic children are designedto sidestep social andbehavioural problems.

Blind snatch, lift and grab

Eye specialists discoveredthat specific exercises

can trigger a surge inpressure within the eyeswhich could predisposeweightlifters to normal-tension glaucoma, thedisease leads to damage tothe optic nerve and gradualloss of eyesight.Tests on 30 male weightliftersshowed that when they heldtheir breath while performingbench press exercises the

pressure in their eyesjumped. Normal-tensionglaucoma is more prevalentin people who have frequentchanges in eye pressure.Doctors at the Institute ofSpecialised Ophthalmology inBrazil asked the weightlifterswho were aged between 18and 40, to perform variousexercises. For half of therepetitions each performed,they were asked to hold theirbreath and for the rest to

A difficult time can be more readily endured if we retain the conviction that our existence holds a purpose-a cause to pursue, a person to love, a goal to achieve

John Maxwell


breathe normally, all wererecruited with a healthyeyeball pressure of less than21 mm of mercury.When the weightlifters heldtheir breath, 90%

experienced a rise in eyeballpressure of nearly 25%.When they breathed normally,it rose half as much and inonly 62% of the bodybuilders.

Pakistan Win Blind World Cup

Pakistan defeated India bysix wickets in third Blind

World Cup and won the titleof World Cup for theconsecutive second time onDecember 16.Pakistan won the toss andinvited the other side to batfirst in Rawalpindi CricketStadium.India could score 225 on theloss of seven wickets in theappointed overs. The most ofthe Indian team players wererun out.Pakistan scored the requisite

runs in 29.2 overs at the lossof four wickets.Noor Quresh played anexcellent innings and hitan undefeatable 102.Mohammed Akram and AmirAshfaq scored 62 and 46respectively.

Differently abled, and on a rollWhile the rest of Delhi ran,walked, trotted or simplysauntered, they were theones who rolled ahead,furiously pushing the wheelsof their wheelchairs.And much like the previousyear, Hutch Delhi HalfMarathon drew its most

enthusiastic participants fromthe wheelchair category.Scores of wheelchair boundathletes crowded the startline at 8 am on October 15,raring to have a go . Somehad been preparing for thisevent for the past twomonths.

Poorna Samadhan,an NGO and Indian

Spinal Injuries Centre, NewDelhi, are jointly organising anational level wheelchairtennis tournament in Marchend. Entries are invited fromorganisations and individualsby February 20, 2007.Organisations can sendmaximum of 4 entries,

individual players who havewon table tennis tournamentsor have been 1st/2nd runner-up are eligible to participate.Interested participants arerequired to send their entriesto Pradeep Lal, H.No. 1185,Sector-37, Noida;#9810016729; e-mail :[email protected]

Three visually impaired youngsters from Jamshedpur—Vikas Prasad, Amar Kumar Sharma and D Rupawati scaledDarwa Top, 13,550 feet above sea level in the Himalayanrange in May. And now they are gunning for greater heights-a peak at 20,000 feet above sea level. Tata Steel AdventureFoundation arranged the trip, and as an inspiration, BachendriPal went along with the team of 41.

Shilpi Jaiswal won the singles final of under-18 BritishOpen Invitation Deaf Tennis Championship in September.Resident of Patna maintaining her good form, Shilpi, defeatedFatima Polwel in straight sets 6-2, 6-1.

Over five hundred visually impaired girl studentsparticipated in a 3 km race as a part of Salwan Marathon(the largest road race in the category in South-East Asia) inNew Delhi, on November 5, which started from JawaharLal Nehru Stadium. In all about 35,000 school students fromall over the country participated in the Marathon recognisedby the Athletics Federation of India.

Wheelchair Table Tennis Tournament

Wheelchair Table Tennis Tournament was organisedby Poorna Samadhan in collaboration with IndianSpinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) on October 28. Thetournament held at ISIC was inaugurated by Maj.

H.P.S. Ahluwalia, chairman, ISIC

On Ground Zero: Nearly 85% of India’s population has access to drinking water. But sanitation is a problemworldwide. Out of 2.6 million people worldwide, two out of five do not have access to improved sanitation.

UNICEF

A doctor of psychology was doing hisnormal morning rounds when heentered a patient’s room. He foundpatient no.1 sitting on the floor,pretending to saw a piece of wood inhalf.

Patient no.2 was hanging from the ceiling, by his feet.The doctor asked patient no.1 what he was doing. Thepatient replied, “ Can’t you see I’m sawing this piece ofwood in half?” the doctor inquired of patient no.1 whatpatient no.2 was doing. Patient no.1 replied, “Oh. He’smy friend, but he’s a little crazy. He thinks he’s alightbulb.” The doctor looks up and notices patient no.2’sface is going all red.

The doctor asked patient no.1, “If he is your friend,you should get him down from there before he hurtshimself.”Patient no.1 replies, “What? And work in the dark?” News compiled by Rajinder Johar


ELEGY FOR A DISEASE: A

PERSONAL AND CULTURAL

HISTORY OF POLIO

Author: Anne FingerPublisher: St. Martin’s PressPages : 304 Price : $25.95

During the first half of the twentiethcentury, epidemics of polio causedfear and panic, killing some whocontracted the disease, leavingothers with varying degrees ofparalysis. The defeat of poliobecame a symbol of modern technology’s ability to reducehuman suffering. But while the story of polio may haveseemed to end on April 12, 1956, when the Salk vaccinewas declared a success, millions of people worldwide arepolio survivors.

In this dazzling memoir, Anne Finger interweaves herpersonal experience with polio with a social and culturalhistory of the disease. Anne contracted polio as a toddler,just a few months before the Salk vaccine became widelyavailable. After six months of hospitalization, she returnedto her family’s home in upstate New York, using bracesand crutches. In her memoir, she writes about the physicalexpansiveness of her childhood, about medical attemptsto “fix” her body, about family violence, job discrimination,and a life rich with political activism, writing, andmotherhood.

She also writes an autobiography of the disease, describinghow it came to widespread public attention during a 1916epidemic in New York in which immigrants, especially Italianimmigrants, were scapegoated as being the vectors of thedisease. She relates the key roles that Franklin Rooseveltplayed in constructing polio as a disease that could beovercome with hard work, as well as his ties to the nascentMarch of Dimes, the prototype of the modern charity. Alongthe way, we meet the formidable Sister Kenny, the Australiannurse who claimed to have found a revolutionary treatmentfor polio and who was one of the most admired women inAmerica at mid-century; a group of polio survivors who

formed the League of the Physically Handicapped to agitatefor an end to disability discrimination in Depression-erarelief projects; and the founders of the early disability-rightsmovement, many of them polio survivors who, having beenraised to overcome obstacles and triumph over theirdisabilities, confronted a world filled with barriers andimpediments that no amount of hard work could overcome.

After years of dissociating herself from others who hadhad polio, Finger, an award-winning writer of fiction—bothshort stories and a novel—as well as of creative non-fiction,slowly began her involvement in the disability rightsmovement and has dealt with a diagnosis of postpoliosyndrome. She was the president of the Society forDisability Studies and continues to be active in the disabilityrights movement. She lives in Oakland, California.

Anne Finger writes with the candor and the skill of a novelist,and shows not only how polio shaped her life, but how itshaped American cultural experience as well. Anne Fingeris at her best when vividly detailing the Fifties and Sixties,the chapter on working-class London in the Sixties is aliterary gem! This unsentimental, grippingly told story willcaptivate readers and sensitize them to the world of thedisabled people.

Free Gadgets

During the last six months, Mata Kaushalya Devi CharitableTrust (MKDCT) organised several programmes todistribute aids and appliances to persons with disabilitiesand furniture and other physio-therapeutic equipments forchildren with disabilities to Safdarjung Hospital, PrateekInstitute and Uday Special School. People/ organisationsdesirous of availing the benefit of the same, may contact R.N. Dhingra, secretary, MKDCT, 2/46 Ramesh Nagar, NewDelhi – 110015; Tel: 25160146.

Services Available

Savera Special School offers education to children withdelayed development, cerebral palsy, autism, sensoryimpairment, behavioral disorders, etc. it is free for thosebelow poverty line. It also imparts training in book binding,masala grinding, candle making, etc. Contact at 3, SainikVihar, Pitampura, Delhi- 110034# 27019749, 27019537; e-mail: [email protected]

Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgottenB.F. Skinner

42 FODJuly-Dec. 2006 The VOICE of FOD

at the main happenings during the past six monthsin Family Of Disabled

series was sponsored by Alcatel and Academy of FineArts and Literature. The event was also supported byHUDCO, PNB, NTPC, NRI Institute and Bee Gee

Ø 28 persons with differentdisabilities were provided withnecessary aids and appliances forsmooth functioning of their activitiesof daily living and to aid theirmobility.

Ø FOD put up stalls in NewDelhi— YMCA on November 29and 30, Vocational RehabilitationCenter on December 8, GuruGobind Singh Hospital on Dec 19and 20 and St. Francis De Sales School on December 16.

Ø A group of 40 disabled children from Asha SpecialSchool in New Delhi, were taken to enjoy a circus show.Their tickets, transport, refreshment, etc was sponsoredby FOD. FOD conducts such educational and entertainingtrips annually for disabled children from different schools/NGOs.

Ø Beyond Limits 2006, an exhibition of paintings made by19 physically disabled artists from all over India wasorganised by FOD from September 16-25, at Arpana ArtGallery, New Delhi. The fourth edition in the Beyond Limits

Students of Asha Special School with their teachersand FOD staff

Motors. The works of the artists were greatly encouragedand appreciated by general public, art connoisseur andpeople from art fraternity. The reputed artist Arpana Caur

Avinash on tricycledonated to him On the dais, from L to R : Vishesh Gupta, vice president,

marketing and business development, Alcatel; Dr.Ashok Walia, hon’ble finance and urban development

minister; Brijesh Kumar, formerly secretary, ministry ofIT & communications and Sanjeev Sachdeva (MC)

Shreekant Dubey shows his paintings to chief guestDr. Ashok Walia as Ramesh Yadav, a member of the

jury looks on

People blink about 17,000 times a day. Size of our eyes does not change in our lifetimebut nose and ears keep growing

42 FODJuly-Dec. 2006 The VOICE of FOD

Daniela with Seema Singh, who has been helped inexpansion of her beauty services and PCO facility

who offers the gallery space for free, also saw that exhibitionwas a success. The event was inaugurated by Dr. AshokWalia, finance and urban development minister of Delhi inthe presence of Brijesh Kumar, formerly secretary ministryof IT & communications, Government of India.

Ø Fresh series of 10 New Year greeting cards wasintroduced. Paintings by artists with disabilities — SantanuDas, Beetan Goswami, Arveend Singh, NilanjanaBannerjee, Nirmalya Roy, Arpita Mandal and PradeepKumar Tarei were translated into greeting cards.

Robert Hall with Preeti, Sr. Executive, FOD, at one ofthe sites while on field visit

district governor, Rotary International, in Atlanta, US, andhis wife Charlene visited India to study polio eradicationprogram. The team visited FOD on November 14 and wastaken on field visit to adults with polio who have beenbenefited from ARS to study and analyse how it helped intheir economic rehabilitation.

Ø Daniela, an intern from Germany, working with Centrefor Social Research in New Delhi, to study on condition ofwomen with disabilities in India visited FOD on December16 to learn how it is involved in their socio-economicrehabilitation and how their lives have metamorphosed afterinitiation into a trade of their choice under Apna RozgaarScheme. She was also taken to a few women beneficiariesunder the Scheme to gather first hand information from them.

Ø Mohini Devi (with her daughter), one of the 21ARS beneficiaries, who were assisted in the past 6

months in their socio-economic rehabilitation throughApna Rozgaar Scheme of FOD so that they can sustainthemselves as well as their families. The total numberof people, who have availed Apna Rozgaar facility so

far, has reached 282.

Ø A team of six people headed by Robert. L. Hall, formerly

2 july-dec. 2006 - family of disabled...

Documents