Views

Visitor's Opinions

Foot Prints in the Sands of Time

Vignettes of Visitor’s Views and Visions:

"You have so much knowledge, experience and enthusiasm; USA could learn from you. Thank you for showing us, how?", wrote the leader of the Delegation of the United State National Institute for Disabled Rehabilitation and Research [NIDRR], [5th March 2005] that was Dr Paul. R. Ackerman, International Consultant and Member, Joint Working Group. Other members of the Group were Margaret Jo Shepherd of New York and Paula Gold Berg of PACER Centre, Minneapolis. He had earlier visited Lekhadeep on 19th September, 2000 along with Dr Robert Jaeger, Director, International and Inter Agency of Ads of the NIDRR and member, Joint working group. They also opined that Lekhadeep has done a program that is a Model for others.

Enthused by the good work of productive utility rendered by 'The Association', in training and rehabilitating MR Persons, he made it a point to include Hyderabad and Lekhadeep in the Itinerary of the Study Group on its next visit to India in 2005.

Aline Robert of Handicap International, France [27.04.1996] and other members of the French team, applauded the "Very Creative and Innovative and Excellent Work". Dr D.Van Der Klift, Psychiatrist, Otara, Aucklent, New Zeeland [28.02.2004], the Chinese Delegation guided by Ms Zhao Tizun, Director, China Research Centre [23.09.1996], delegates of SAARC Countries, Dr Jamey Gittings of Tucson, Arizona, USA [20.06.2000], Ms Sabiha Siddiqui, a Social Worker with ERINOAK, a Voluntary Organisation, Brampton, ONT, Canada are a few such illustrative examples who visited Lekhadeep and highly appreciated our yeomen services. Other eminent people who praised include Sri V. K. Shunglu the Hon. CAG of India, Sri A. Satya Vardhana, IA & AS (AG, AP) and Sri P. Narayana Murthy, IA & AS, Member Audit Board, who accompanied the CAG, Ms Gauri Chatterji, Joint Secretary, Ms Asha Das, Secretary, Govt. of India [23.09.1999], Ms R. Sandhu, Joint Secretary and Sri Sarvesh Rai, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. What other handicapped persons and administrators/ voluntary organizations have to say: Mrs Neena Gupta - herself wheel chair bound - [W/o Justice Devinder Gupta, Chief Justice, High Court, AP], praised our services.

Sri R. Sunder Vadan, Commissioner Disabled Welfare & State Commissioner under Persons with Disabilities Act 1995, Dilkush Special School, Juhu, Mumbai, Ananda Niketan Society for Mental Health Care, Burdwan, West Bengal and a host of Voluntary Organisations from India and Abroad, Mr M. Venkata Ramana, DVTE [MR] of Manochaitanya VTC for M R Children, Godavarikhani, Sri J P Gadkari, President, PARIVVAR, National Federation of Parents Association of Persons with Autism, CP, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities, Mr Vijaya Kanth, Program Manager, PMAG , Sri M. K. Aggarwal, Managing Director, State Bank of Hyderabad, Lt. Col. B. S. Prasad of Lucent Technologies India and many other visitors from different walks of life have been visiting Lekhadeep and extending their blessings and suggestions to help grow. Given above are a few illustrative examples.

Sri Mata Prasad, Secretary, Ministry of Welfare, Govt. of India, tThough visits of high dignitaries and receiving their blessings are not uncommon, still it is our privilege to publish some of the observations, in this line of thought. Among the NRIs visited our Institute Mrs Saumya A Sivaram, Houston, RIC University categorized the work of Lekhadeep as excellent. What else can the terms "Amazing" & "Wonderful", mean?