The Hindu Business Line : 6 women get Sadguru Gnanananda awards

WHAT is common to Ms Ranjana Kumar of Mumbai, Ms Madhu Modi of Jaipur, Ms Amritha Rajagopal (Chennai), Ms Gool Plumber (Hyderabad), Dr S Jayam (Chennai) and Ms Naseema Mohammed Amin Hurzak of Kolhapur?

These six women have helped the poor and destitute women and physically and mentally challenged children muster self-confidence and lead a normal life and, in some cases, achieve laurels.

They have all been awarded the Sadguru Gnanananda fifth national awards for their services to the underprivileged at a function held here on Friday.

A physically challenged person herself, Ms Naseema, who founded `Helpers of the Handicapped' at Kolhapur in Maharashtra, told herself that she should not let handicapped children miss any opportunity.

Helpers of the Handicapped now run four hostels with over 200 inmates. "So far, the organisation has helped 10,000 children. Some of them made it big, too," she says.

Ms Gool Plumber, who was instrumental in forming Andhra Pradesh Association for the Welfare of the Mentally Retarded (APAWMR), felt that early intervention could help reduce physical disability among the children.

One of the programmes the association takes up is the centre-based scheme that monitors the just-borns, who are at risk of developing physical and mental disabilities, throughout their early months. "This includes involvement of paediatricians, parents and volunteers," she says.

The association, which began the centre-based programme at Niloufer Hospital, is now expanding to other major maternity hospitals and slums.

A senior paediatrician herself, Dr S Jayam had found that uneducated and rugged women in the countryside were good at offering ante-natal service. "They maybe lacking in knowledge. But we can't match them when it comes to the service orientation," she points out.

After retiring from the Government service, Dr Jayam founded Sahishnatha Educational and Charitable Trust to provide qualitative medical services exclusively for children. "My aim is to produce positive happy children. My focus has always been on prevention," she says.

Dr Jayam believes that individuals and individual institutions cannot carry on the job on their own. "I strongly believe in networking."

Ms Amritha Rajagopal, however, differs, in a way, from others in the group. She doesn't run any philanthropic organisation but she would chip in by supplying rice, shampoos, talcum powder, clothes and notebooks. And, she has been doing this for the last 20 years by mobilising support from society.

More Stories on : Social Welfare | Awards & Honours | Gender

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page