Chennai Book Fair and Simply Being Sidds! & After the Floods! 2018

Book Reading and Panel Discussion at MMA - Simply Being Sidds! - 30 Jan 2018

Why inclusion is still a distant dream in India?

Being a social activist and volunteer in community service, having had to mingle with various people and people with special needs was always there.  However, such interactions only pained me within.   It is not because I am sensitive to the limitations of people around me, but because as a system we are such a failure even today when we are talking about Robotic Sciences, Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive technology, and explore Space and Earth beyond imagination.  

At Worth Trust Katpadi

 

Though I know Siddharth Jayakumar and his condition of Cerebral Palsy since many long years, it is only after we started to write the book, that I could see from his side of life.  Struggle is a small word and sympathy is the harshest feeling once can show to people like Sidd.    

Who needs your sympathy!    Being empathetic to the situation and creating a comfortable living to everyone in this society is the NEED,  a Necessity,  not a privilege asked for.  

Forget about beaches and exhibitions being accessible in wheel chairs or the blind,  is our most necessary places accessible?  How many local Railway stations and bus stands are wheel chair friendly?   Do we have banks having ramps or lifts in all areas?   Are our schools ready for inclusion?   Even after 20 years since a guy like Siddharth fought his way into Boston Matriculation School,  for mainstream education, we still find it a challenge.

Being differently abled is not a curse.  But in India, it is an unfortunate situation.   Visually challenged vendors in train teach us that they too want to live in dignity.   SoulFree kind of organizations provoke our thinking towards taking inclusion to the grass roots.   Worth Trust kind of industries and rehabilitation centers keep doing in what they believe silently and successfully without the drama of publicity or government intervention.  

We need one Para-Olympic Mariaapan to tell us despite all the struggles, they stay motivated.   We take pride in the success of Deepa Malik for the achievements she brought into the country.   But, for a moment,  pause and think....have we done what is needed around us.   

INCLUSION is a big word.   A great challenge to our country.   We have to redesign our infrastructure,  create avenues of accessibility,  acceptance of the limitations of specially abled and give them equal employment opportunities and vocational training.   

We need more schools like APL Global where children of all kinds are treated at par, given equal opportunities and enjoy the mainstream education and sports.   We need more employers like WORTH TRUST,  RBS, Cognizant and IBM who give a sustainable employment opportunities to those who deserve...It is time, we look back and think forward.   

Each one of us should take a pledge to work towards inclusion, towards a better society and towards a more inclusive India....

 

#AtoZChallenge: Inspiring Indian Women: C for Chandrakala Siddharth #Unsung Heroes

#Inspiring Indian Women  #SiddharthJayakumar  #Chandrakala  #RakumSchoolofBlind

C for Chandrakala Siddharth 

Why is Chandrakala an inspiration and an unsung hero?  What makes a silent homemaker a super woman in her own right?   

Lot has been said and done about Chandrakala's husband Siddharth Jayakumar,  who is a banker,  suffering from Cerebral Palsy, but never hindered his achievements,  HelenKeller Award Winner, a super hero and a motivational speaker, Trustee of India Inclusion Summit, Board Member of Vidya Sagar, Spastic Society of India and been part of many more laurels to his credit.   However not many would know about his better half...an angel and a wonderful wife and great mother. 

Chandrakala  studied in Sri Rakum School of Blind, Indiranagar Bangalore due to the economic conditions of her family for 11 years.   Later on she went on to become a Director for the school managing hostel.   With her limitations, she was able to complete B.Ed and MA Sociology and prove herself that nothing is an hindrance if you have the right passion and spirit to succeed.  

Chandrakala after seeing the video of Siddharth agreed to marry him immediately.  She was inspired by his will to survive and vision to make it big.   In these days when marriages are more about looks, money and status, Chandrakala's only motive was to serve Siddharth for lifetime.   From the service and seva day work she did at Sri Rakum School of Blind her services moved on to join the mission of her husband who is 70% disabled to make him comfortable and tackle his movement towards positively abled people to be included in the mainstream society.   Chandrakala manages her home and Siddharth so well that you will be amazed at her patience, affection and love, care and honestly and above all will be bowled over by her hospitality when you are at her home.  She ensures that you are well taken care of and comfortable to the core.  

It takes lot of courage and wisdom to do what she has been doing.  Joining the vision and long term goal of a very talented and highly superactive crusader like Siddharth.   She is one of the finesh unsung heroes and a great inspiration to women of today, who  take hasty decisions and jump into divorces,  marital discords and prone to ego issues.   Here is a woman, who is making the best of both worlds.    Her goal is to become a natural therapist and serve more human  beings.   Talking to her will make you feel not only inspired but also highly motivated

Kudos to you Chandrakala and wishing you and your son Aarav and family a great life ahead.

She has been recently awarded on the Women's Day by Inner Wheel Clubs of District 323. 

References:

http://siddharthjayakumar.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA3aSKozsgw

http://www.knowyourstar.com/siddharth-jayakumar-interview/