CHALLENGED CHILDREN- PROBLEMS & MANAGEMENT Edited by Dr. Bishnupada Nanda

A historic publication by

Arogya Sandhan Charitable Trust,2,R.K.Sarani,Eastern Park, Santoshpur,

Kolkata-700075,e-mail-arogyasandhan@gmail.com,(M) 9331031650

Publisher and distributor : Ankush Prakashana,Kayadanga, P.O. Kalyangarh, Ashonagar, 743272, North 24 Parganas, e-mail - ankushprakashana@rediffmail.com (M)9732603584

» 5 YEARS’ hard work of Arogya Sandhan ends with this Publicaion!

» One of the dreams of Arogya Sandhan is materilised with this publication!

» Eighteen Authors from all over India have written this book

» Congrats to Dr.Bishnupada Nanda for a gigantic task of Editing this Book

» This book is only of its kind in the area of rehabilitation management.

ISBN 978-81-926168-0-3 allotted to our book –CHALLENGED CHILDREN-PROBLEMS &MANAGEMENT-Category 5/2012-ISBN DATED 8th December 2012

About the book

This book contains 28 papers under eight sections contributed by eminent scholars in the country who have ample expertisaion in the field of rehabilitation science. The book contains historical, bio-medical, psycho-social, educational, therapeutic and vocational as well as legal aspects of rehabilitation science. This volume is written and presented in most lucid style so that the parents, teachers, students, researchers, rehabilitation professionals and policy makers can use it for effective and speedy empowerment of the differently abled persons. The parents, teachers and professionals can use it for strategic interventions and policy suggestions. A rich appendix also included containing eleven well known acts and rules as well as a list of rehabilitation centres, glossary and index. This book is only of its kind in the area of rehabilitation management.

HOW THIS BOOK CAME INTO BEING

In course of rendering medical services to cross-sections of society as volunteers of Arogya Sandhan, we came in close contact with challenged children with disorders of Autism,Cerebral Palsy,Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities and their parents. We also came to know that parents of these children are suffering from loneliness in handling their children and deep anxiety of the future threat of life of their challenged children in their absence. One darker side of whole thing is that people are commonly not at all aware of these children who are challenged in many aspects of their life.. An example of this unawareness was very shockingly revealed through one incident which I can not but mention here. In course of my official transfer, I joined Indian Bank,Guwahati branch on 29th June 2005. One of my colleagues from Bhubaneshwar, shri D.C.Khuntia with his mentally challenged children (MR) and another colleague Sri Asis Dutta with his son (Profoundly Autistic) were transferred to Guwahati at the same time. Both of them took their challenged son with them as there was nobody in their family to look after them. Within two months of our stay at Guwahati, both the colleagues were served notices by their respective landlords to vacate their rented houses- the reason being cited that the disabled child is a curse of God and not good for the house.It came to me as shocking and inhumane revelation that too in 21st century.We contacted many organizations and intellecturals working in the disability sector and gathered informations about the mental disability and associated problems. All of them suggested that the lack of public awareness made the situation worse. We prepared few brochures highlighting the issues and started distributing to the public. We al;so goragnised a seminar at Sudmersen Hall of Cotton College on 4th December 2005 in which many prominent persons and intellectuals of the city participated.

After Interaction with large section of parents, doctors, teachers, social workers on disability awareness, we felt the need of publication of a comprehensive book covering conceptual, social, scientific, medical, legal and other aspects of disability which should be useful to parents, care-givers, teachers, doctors, researchers, NGOs and common man for awareness. To our knowledge there is no such comprehensive and authentic book on the subject available in India.

Meanwhile,in 2007, we established AROGYA SANDHAN CHARITABLE TRUST for rehabilitation and development of the lives of mentally challenged persons and simultaneously we have undertaken the job of compiling a comprehensive book on disability by inviting write-ups through internet to Heads of Department of various colleges and universities in India and abroad. Initial responses were very encouraging; it took long persuasions and persistent follow-up to receive their write-ups within schedule time. Therefore it took a considerable time to collect and compile these write-ups. After having received fairly good number of write-ups from reputed authors, we were in need of an experienced Editor thos this voluminous book who much have a comprehensive knowledge on disability and willingness to take us such a tough job without any remuneration.

At last we found Dr BISHNUPADA NANDA,, a scholar with profound knowledge in every aspect of disability. He is highly qualified and experienced teacher, well-recognized research guide and writer of many books on disability. We contacted him through Smt Kaberi Sinha, teacher-in-charge, Antaranga.On listening to the objective of publication of this book, Dr Nanda readily consented to take up the responsibility of Chief Editor. But to make a complete and useful book, he had to add many chapters. Arogya Sandhan Charitable Trust gratefully acknowledges his splendid works for this book. We, on behalf of Arogya Sandhan Charitable Trust convey our heartfelt thanks to Dr S Venkatesan, Professor in clinical Psychology All India Institute of Speech and Hearing ,Manasagangotri, Mysore ,Dr Prakash Padakannaya Professor, Department of psychology Unidersity of Mysore , Manasagangorti and ,Prof Tathagata Dutta.They have not only written for the book but also introduced writers to write for the books.’ANKUSH PRAKASHANA publication house of this book, deserves big kudos for taking this challenging job and compiling this book.

Sri Kanti Lal Som, Retired Teacher of Dakshin Habra High School is a young man of 66 with a lot of health problems, has typed more than 400 pages of this book. His keen interest acquiring knowledge on disability has helped us to get error free DTP. We convey our thanks for his contribution for the welfare of the society.

Sri Anil Kumar Jana, our president and my friend, philosopher and guide has given his advice, guidance without which the publication would have not been possible.

All the members,Associate members , Advisory Board members, donors of Arogya Sandhan have extended their support and active interest in publication of this book from time to time . I will be failing in my duty if I do not mentioin some name – Sri Binoy roy , Sri Ajoy Ghosh, Dr. C.M.Ghosh, Sri Amal Chandra Sarkar, Sri Saswata Sarkar, Dr Amitava Chakraborty, Sri Surajit Das, Sri Barun Sahabhowmik, Sri Amitava Dutta, Sri Dilip Sen Dr Sanjeeb Dey, Smt Sutapa Roy and many other functionaries of both the Arogya Sandhan society and the Trust whithout whose contribution the book could have not come to light. We very thankfully acknowledge our indebtedness to all of them.

We are happy to inform that we have received enormous response from many generous citizens , organizations and corporates who have extended their helping hand to implement our project for rehabilitation and development of lives of mentally challenged for whom we have been running a vocational training centre, a clinic for detection and counseling and already started construction work of a four storied building to provide permanent residence to one hundred mentally challenged persons of different categories.

Lastly we dedicate this book to the millions of mentally challenged persons and their parents who have been eargerly waiting for equal opportunities and rights to lead a dignified and comfortable life at par with the other members of the society. We shall feel very obliged if this book sergves the purpose to whatever little extent it is possible.

There could be unintentional mistakes and factual errors which may be forgiven by the generous readers.

About the editor-in-chief

BISHNUPADA NANDA(b.1962) is an eminent teacher, educator, distinguished author and research guide in the field of special and inclusive education, rehabilitation psychology, educational psychology, guidance and counselling psychology and psychiatric social work including drug abuse , AIDS/HIV and sex education. He received Ph.D.degree in Education (Special Education). He guided thirty three masters thesis, published and presented more than fifty research papers in leading national and peer reviewed research journals and national and international conferences and seminars. He authored five book on special education and developed several tests in his own credit.

Prior to his joining in the present position in the Department of Education, Rabindra Bharati University, he held the position of Coordinator(Training and Projects) at Manovikas Kendra, Kolkata; the position of Visiting Professor( Special Education) in the Department of Special Education, Institute of Education and Research, Dhaka University and in the position of Guest Professor at National Centre for Special Education ( Ministry of Social welfare, Government of Bangladesh Republic) under Bangladesh National University. During his stay in Bangladesh he worked extensively with the Salvation Army, The British Council and Bangladeshi Protibondhi Foundation to develop human resources in the areas of special and inclusive education as well as developed a successful model of inclusive school at the Salvation Army Integrated School, Savar. He also served DPEP,Murshidabad in the position of District IED Coordinator, Vidyasagar School of Social Work, Vidyasagar University and Alakendu Bodh Niketan ( Residential ) as a guest faculty, I.I.T Kharagpur as Research Assistant and Lighthouse Training College for the Teachers of Visually and Multiple Handicapped as guest teacher of special education and educational psychology. As a State Resource Person and Training Facilitator, Dr Nanda trained more than thirty thousand primary and upper primary teachers of West Bengal in special and inclusive education.

For further details please contact:-

Mr Anil .Kumar .Jana – President -91- 9331031505

Mr Niranjan Biswas, General Secretary -91-9331031650

Phone : 9133-24161465,24165725,24167468.

Email- arogyasandhancharitable@gmail.com, arogyasandhan@gmail.com
Visit our main web at www.arogyasandhan.org