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Laughter: the best medicine

Laughter: the best medicine

Ever wondered how the world would be if nobody knew how to laugh?
Imagine out of the blue, one morning waking up to be a person who doesn’t knows what laughter is.
Nobody would crack jokes, nor anyone will laugh on them.
Nobody would know what comedy shows are and sarcasm won’t be fun anymore.
How do you think that life would be?
Creepy, terrifying and moreover, lifeless.

If we analyze the word laugh it sounds a lot similar to life…it not only brings joy to all but it also comes with some serious health benefits.
A powerful antidote to stress, depression, pain, conflict and even heartbreak, laughter is a proven doctor recommended medicine that holds the power to curb any disease.

Talking in medical terms, a good laugh is chocked full of mental, emotional and physical benefits. Making us feel happy and relaxed, a hearty laughter allows us to live longer, be healthier and provides an edge when battling ailments like mental illness.
Also it helps combat stress by increasing blood flow throughout the body and also boosts our immune system, heightens threshold for pain and assists in facilitating better breathing.

Along with our medical health, laughing helps improving our emotional health as well. And researchers have also proven that laughing in company enhances social bonding and stimulates positivity around.

So if you’re feeling blue, just remember to rejuvenate your soul with this fun & priceless medicine. Although you won’t find a free medine elsewhere than a good hearty laugh.

Moreover always keep in mind what the great Charlie Chaplin once said, “A day without laughter is a day wasted.”

Keep Laughing pals!! Happy Laughter Day 😀

Tackling Depression: Tips for Parents of Children with Special Needs

Tackling Depression: Tips for Parents of Children with Special Needs

Depression: It might not have a significant presence in our lives, but it is possible that someone around us, near us, has been suffering from depression for long enough without us even noticing.
Surprising, yes, but it could happen!
The questions we all have in mind: What is depression? How does it manifest itself? What has made it one of the most severe mental problems in the world?

Imagine having a heachache, a strong one… one that people dismiss as just a heachache, and not something to make a fuss about.
Imagine feeling empty all the time; no one to share your feelings with, nobody to talk to.
Imagine being amidst a sea of people, yet feeling all alone.
Imagine for once that nobody cares whether you exist or not.
That feeling is depression… and it isn’t pretty, especially since most of us don’t even talk about it, or so much as acknowledge its presence.

Depression could be of different types and it could affect people for different reasons, but it is often the parents of children with special needs who are its most common victims. They don’t suffer because they have a special child. They suffer because our society does not treat them as normal. And the only thing that can reduce their suffering is acceptance. It won’t cost us anything to extend a hand of help.

At Mata Bhagwanti Chadha Niketan (MBCN), we treat every child like our own – with compassion, respect and care. As a result, parents feel assured that their child is loved and well looked after at this home away from home. Not just children, we care equally for parents as well.

In her article on coping with depression, Director, MBCN, Dr. Vandana Sharma lends some useful advice to parents of children with special needs.

Read on for insightful excerpts:

“They need to see this vulnerability and work to adopt effective coping skills to deal efficiently with the situation. It will ultimately benefit their special children also. They can deal with children more effectively and patiently if they themselves are at mental peace.”

Setting Limits on Expectations
There are limits to what one person can do. You shouldn’t expect yourself to think about your child all the time. And your child with a disability shouldn’t expect to be the center of attention all the time or the center of your life all the time. It is often easy to have the child with disabilities set the schedule and tone for all family life. You have limits and your child has limits; learn to recognize both and give yourself a chance to examine the situation before responding in anger or fatigue or with frustration. You are not SUPERPARENT.

Having Fun With Your Child
When every activity becomes ‘a therapy session,’ a lot of pleasure can be lost that would otherwise be shared by you and our child. You are the one who lives with your child, and you are the one who is being asked to do just one more thing. If you cannot do something tonight, or every day, okay. That is your decision. Having fun with your child with cerebral palsy can be a radical idea when you are surrounded by people telling you what to do or what should be happening next.

You are not your child’s therapist or teacher. You are Mommy or Daddy. Therapy and educational activities at home are certainly beneficial but you and your child need time to just fool around, tickle, giggle, tell stories and just hang out. These times are one of the most important parts of your child’s “education” and the love and social skills learned by them will stand in good stead for the future as they will contribute greatly to the self-esteem of your child – and your own self-esteem as a parent.

Taking Time Off or Having a Life
As a parent you need time to yourself, with your spouse or partner and with other family members, and just time without kids around. Many parents describe the first time they went to the grocery store alone after their child was born as a tremendous feeling of freedom — even though they were doing a chore, and even though they didn’t talk to anyone but the checkout clerk. There are many parts of your life and each deserves as much attention and nurturing as does your special needs child. At one point I realized that I had no social life and, even though it meant spending money for a respite worker, the time taken to build friendships has probably helped me be a better parent to my child. And even if it has taken time and energy away from my child, I now have ‘a life’ and can talk about more than my son and his disability.

Being the Expert-In-Charge
You know your child better than anyone else as you have spent the most time and lived the longest with this child with a disability, longer than anyone else. You know what works and what doesn’t; you have the big picture and history of your child and can utilize this in any situation. Support personnel come and go but you are the expert with the experience and first-hand knowledge of your child.

As the expert you have the right to be in charge of your child’s educational, social and medical and other decisions, at least until your child can do this for him or herself. Professionals do not live the consequences of their decisions, so while you want their opinions, remember that they are only ‘informed’ opinions and not facts. They shouldn’t tell you are wrong, that you will regret it, that you are selfish, or that you are not looking far enough ahead. Nor should they make you feel guilty or pressure you into a decision.

As suggested by Dr. Vandana Sharma herself, do not forget that someone around you might be a sufferer too. Look out, it isn’t that tough. It could be a friend, a cousin, or even your neighbour from next door.

Let’s start by asking the simplest yet most important question: How are you?
#LetsTalk!

Know the Signs of Autism

Know the Signs of Autism

In order to cure any problem, it is important to first actually know that there is a problem.
Unlike most other mental problems, Autism is not a disease that could be easily treated with medicine. It is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social impairments, cognitive impairments, communication difficulties and repetitive behaviour.

As a parent, nobody wishes for their little one to have any problem but sometimes, in the rush of our lives we often miss out many important things that could actually mean a lot. Such happens in the case of Autism and catching it ideally by the age of eighteen months can make a huge difference and starting early treatment can reduce the disorder’s effects and help your child learn, grow, and thrive.

Autism appears in infancy or early childhood, but can only be diagnosed by a professional until the child is over twenty four months or two years. However, there are signs that could indicate that the child is on the spectrum as early as six months of age.
Every child is unique, so is their rate of development. Hence, the signs and the severity of the symptoms can vary from child to child.

One important thing that parents should look out for is that autism isn’t recognized by the presence of strange behaviour, but from lack of normal behavior. Also some children with autism may appear normal before age 1 or 2 and suddenly “regress” afterwards losing any language or social skills they had previously gained. This is called the regressive type of autism.

Following are some early signs of Autism you must look out for and if your child exhibits any of the following then do not delay in asking your pediatrician or family doctor for an evaluation—

● No smile or warm joyful expressions by six months or thereafter
● No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles or other facial expressions by nine months
● No babbling by 12 months
● No back-and-forth gestures such as pointing, showing, reaching or waving by 12 months
● No words by 16 months
● Doesn’t make noises to get your attention
● Never initiates or respond to cuddling or reach out to be picked up
● No meaningful, two-word phrases (not including imitating or repeating) by 24 months
● Loss of speech, babbling or social skills at any age
● No response to their name (the child may appear deaf)
● No demonstration of interest at anything
● Loss of/avoiding eye contact
● Always wants to be alone
● Difficulty in understanding
● Never expresses own feelings or understands other people’s feelings
● Repeats words or phrases over and over (echolalia)
● Gets upset by minor changes
● Has obsessive interests
● Flaps hands, rocks body, or spins in circles
● Has unusual reactions (over or under-sensitivity) to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel
● Has low to no social skills
● Avoids or resists physical contact
● Demonstrates little safety or danger awareness
● Reverses pronouns (e.g., says “you” instead of “I”)
● Gives unrelated answers to questions

Children with autism may also show some other type of signs which may appear normal but come under ASD symptoms.

● Having unusual interests and behaviors
● Extreme anxiety or having unusual phobias
● Playing with toys the same way every time
● Getting upset over minor changes
● Having obsessive tendencies
● Wanting to keep their things at the same place
● Hyperactivity (very active)
● Impulsivity (acting without thinking)
● Short attention span
● Aggression
● Causing self injury
● Meltdowns
● Unusual eating and sleeping habits
● Unusual mood or emotional reactions
● Lack of fear or more fear than expected
● Having unusual sleeping habits

Moving Above Down Syndrome

Moving Above Down Syndrome

What is Down Syndrome?

Does your child have physical growth delays? Do they display intellectual disabilities? If yes, they might be suffering from Down Syndrome – a genetic disorder that is caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21.

Named after John Langdon Down, who fully described the syndrome in 1866, Down Syndrome has no cure. Here’s a short video to explain the condition in greater detail.

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nguLcSzN7mM
Video Credits: UDSFoundation

How to identify Down Syndrome?

Now that you know what Down Syndrome is, how do you identify if someone is suffering from this condition? Some physical attributes help in easy identification of people affected with Down Syndrome, so look out for these signs if your child or someone you know is displaying abnormal behaviour.

Those affected with Down Syndrome nearly always have physical and intellectual disabilities. As adults, their mental abilities are typically similar to those of an 8 or 9 year old. They also typically have poor immune function and generally reach developmental milestones at a later age. Apart from the above, people with Down Syndrome may have some or all of these physical characteristics: a small chin, slanted eyes, poor muscle tone, a single crease of the palm, and a protruding tongue due to a small mouth and relatively large tongue. Growth in height is slower, resulting in adults who tend to have short stature — the average height for men is 154 cm (5 ft 1 in) and for women is 142 cm (4 ft 8 in).

Are people with Down Syndrome any different?

Apart from the obvious identifiable traits, people with Down Syndrome are as normal as us. They can grow up to go to college, get married, work and live a fun and happy life. They want to make friends, go to parties and be included in classrooms or the workplace. With the right education and support, individuals with Down Syndrome can often write their own success stories.

People with Down Syndrome are no different than individuals who don’t suffer from the condition, but society often neglects the former, alienating them from the necessary support and encouragement required to excel in anything. Our neglect often stems from our ignorance and lack of knowledge, which is why many organisations around the world are working towards this cause. Each year, 21st March is celebrated globally as ‘World Down Syndrome Day’ with the objective of raising awareness and building empathy around the condition. So, if you have a child suffering from Down Syndrome or know anyone who does, make sure you support them and help them reach their true potential.

Colour Me Right

Colour Me Right

Dominant Red…Bristling blue, Calming White…Soothing Green

Every colour is different, so is their story…

 As Indians we celebrate every festival with great zeal and enthusiasm and Holi is one of the festivals that everyone, irrespective of their age, loves to celebrate.  But do we know what the true significance of this festival really is?

For some, Holi is the festival of togetherness, for some it’s a celebration of good triumphing over evil and for others, it is just the mix of Bhaang and Gulal. At Ponty Chadha Foundation, we have given this festival a meaning of our own, which is ‘Colour Me Right.’

Just like different colours, every child is unique with a gleaming heart, vibrant dreams and a vivid aura of their own. Keeping this in mind we say, let’s not misjudge, let’s not put labels, let’s not crush a blooming future, but colour them right- like they deserve to be!

Disabled or not, every child has a pristine heart and a special ability of their own.

As the festival of Holi approaches, let’s break the stereotypes caging us and sprinkle the colours of love over these special souls who look upto us for support, nurturing and respect.

As Adriana Alarcon rightly says, “Colours are brighter when the mind is open. “

This Holi, open the doors of your hearts and welcome everyone as equal and share the greatest joys and deepest sorrows of all as one.

Happy Holi! 🙂

Mind Over Matter

Mind Over Matter

Parenthood has its own set of challenges, but when it comes to being a parent to a child with special needs has its own set of unique challenges. Though it is easier said than done that with a specially-abled child be supportive, keep no expectations and take each day as it comes. Each day has newer challenges and even unique ways to meet them.

No matter what type of disability your child has – moderate or severe – you want to make sure that she is receiving the best opportunities possible. Though they deserve customised learning techniques, many in our society understand that but seldom do such children get the much needed motivation.

They may feel like they aren’t being challenged enough, or they may feel as if they simply can’t achieve the goals that are set forth for them just because of their disability. This lack of motivation can have a huge impact on their education. It’s all up there, if it’s in their that they cannot do it, nothing else can push them towards it!

Here are some and fun and realistic strategies, you can create a special education timeline that will help your special needs child achieve and succeed in her educational endeavors:

Help Them Focus:

Get involved in their day-to-day education schedule. Instill them with newer aspirations each day and make them aware of the possibilities they have. Once you can gauge their interest,  help to chalk out a stronger plan in that direction with courses to study and places to enroll. When they see someone so interested in their life and career, they will feel all the more motivated.

Discuss Goals:

Communicate more and more with such children. They should know you expect them to fly higher, however, be careful as you don’t want to pressure them or make them feel obligated to do something. But, carefully make them understand that you are also connected and hope for bigger and better things for them to achieve the goals.

Be a Guide:

Stress is the last thing you want the child to suffer with. Be their coach, a friend and guide. Cheer them, scold them wherever necessary, like any other normal child. Let them know that they are doing a good job and you are there to hold their back, incase they fall.

Be her support system, as this can make an already unmotivated child even less motivated.

Give Rewards:

Rewarding means a lot in these foundation years of your special child. Carefully choose rewards that are beneficial. Don’t offer something superficial or out of bounds for achieving a goal and rather take something that will further benefit them. For example, if she achieves her goal of getting a specific grade on a history test, reward her with a trip to a museum so she can have a first-hand experience with the history she learnt.

Make Sure it’s Fun:

Monotonous and mundane ways of doing work can be highly demotivating.

Try to make tasks as fun, constructive and enjoyable as possible.

If the specially abled children around you is suffering from a lack of motivation, employing these techniques will help to ignite the fire in their desires to achieve and succeed and help them outshine their own image of themselves, as it all in the mind. Let’s help them move MIND OVER MATTER!

MBCN Launches e-Cart Facility to Support Efforts of Special Children

MBCN Launches e-Cart Facility to Support Efforts of Special Children

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
Imparting education and teaching valuable skills that help somebody become financially independent is not just a great way to support an individual or a family, but also an undeniable way to contribute towards the upliftment of our society. Needless to say, education helps a person build confidence, learn new skills, gain experience and earn a decent living.
The vocational wing of Mata Bhagwanti Chadha Niketan, Swayam is an initiative of the Ponty Chadha Foundation (PCF) that helps specially-abled children become self-dependent. On the 16th of this January, MBCN launched an e-commerce portal on its website (www.mbcnschool.org) through which people can buy beautiful handmade products crafted by these specially-abled children.
These eco-friendly products range from stationery items, paper bags and packaging boxes to baskets, wedding gifts and other household items. The students of MBCN school are trained by experts who help them create such beautiful merchandise. Many corporates and business houses have already procured gift items and packing material from these special children. The school acknowledges their efforts, and distributes proceeds from the sales among the children.
The vocational training program by PCF instils confidence in children with special needs – children who are suffering from speech impairment, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and various other mental and physical conditions. It teaches them that their determination and efforts are greater than any or all apprehensions they might have about their abilities.
To buy or browse through these elegant and attractive items handcrafted by our talented students, please visit: www.mbcnschool.org/shop

Vaakya – Giving voice to the voiceless

Vaakya – Giving voice to the voiceless

In this era of connectivity, how would you feel if you lose your ability to express your opinion? How would you feel if you lose your voice?
The question asked above is the reality of millions of people worldwide. Some can’t speak since birth, while some others have lost their voice to accidents or diseases.

Being mute affects a person’s life in many ways, the most significant being the need to communicate via gestures and/or other alternative methods. However, there are many in the world who aren’t just mute, but also victims of major disorders like Autism, Cerebral Palsy and Down Syndrome.

To help those with such severe communication problems, we have designed Vaakya, an application for smartphones that will break down every communication and language barrier that speech-impaired people face. It is a picture-based app which acts as a means of augmentative and alternative communication, one that can be customised by users according to their special needs.

Special Features
● With customisation at its core, Vaakya comes equipped with some amazing and feasible features. For instance, you don’t need internet connectivity to make it work. Vaakya can operate without it as well.
● Multiple User Accounts – To keep data of different students and patients more organised. This feature benefits parents, teachers, guardians, doctors and many others.

How does it work?
While using Vaakya, you can audio record full sentences in any desirable language and associate them with a picture. The speech associated with the corresponding action can be recorded and played back in any language, providing greater flexibility. This makes it easier for others to recognise any form of communication and identify exactly what has been said. Through multiple user accounts, moreover, the app can also help segregate accounts of individuals according to their unique actions and speech specifications.

Vaakya is available free of cost on Google Play Store.
Download it here: http://bit.ly/2lLag23

Yaadein Bachpan Ki: Celebrations at MBCN

Yaadein Bachpan Ki: Celebrations at MBCN

February 16 – the day we all look forward to! Every year on this very date, we celebrate the annual function of Mata Bhagwanti Chadha Niketan, our school for children with special needs.

Established in 1999, Mata Bhagwanti Chadha Niketan (MBCN) is a dream come true envisioned by the Late Shri Gurdeep (Ponty) Singh Chadha, founder of the Wave Group.

Annual Day ‘17

Nurturing their aspirations and building their future, MBCN is not just a school, but a promise made to every specially-abled child – a promise of better learning, better opportunities and a better life.

To celebrate the bond of togetherness that we share with our students, we celebrated our 18th Annual Day under the theme, ‘Yaadein Bachpan Ki’.

Starting from Ganpati Vandana, students presented many innovative musical and dance acts during the function, drenching the whole stage in the many colours of their childhood. Some captivated the audience by recreating ‘The Jungle Book’ while some mesmerised one and all by performing the Rajasthani Ghoomar. Students also performed a satirical silent act on smartphones and their ills, before stealing the show with ‘Navrai Manjhi’, the Maharashtrian wedding song. Each act was so well thought out and executed that it left everyone spellbound at the function.

Saying it with Vaakya

Performances aside, the main attraction of the day was the launch of our mobile application, Vaakya.

Vaakya is a picture-based app designed for people who are either speech impaired or affected by autism, cerebral palsy and other similar mental or physical conditions.

Addressing the audience, the Director of Mata Bhagwanti Chadha Niketan, Ms. Vandana Sharma said, “We strive hard each day to empower and make our students independent. As we celebrate 18 wonderful years of this great institution, we have undertaken some very innovative methods to bring the specially-abled children into the mainstream. We have successfully facilitated our students to find employment in reputed companies.”

Reaching out with E-Commerce

Along with Vaakya, this occasion also witnessed the launch of our online shopping portal integrated with MBCN’s website: www.mbcnschool.org

Allowing customers to purchase handcrafted products at affordable prices online, the e-cart has been launched to embrace and appreciate the hardwork of the students of the MBCN ‘Swayam’ wing. Unveiling the launch, Vice Chairman, Wave Group, Mr. Manpreet Singh Chadha said, “It was my father’s vision to create an environment where children with special needs could become socially and economically independent; and today taking his dream a step further we have launched an APP and an e-commerce portal. This APP will help the specially-abled in communicating efficiently as it is picture based. It will help people who are speech impaired, affected by autism, cerebral palsy and various other mental and physical conditions. On the other hand, the income generated from the e-commerce portal will be given to students for their skill as an encouragement for their hard work. These initiatives will give an impetus to our on-going efforts in bringing vital changes to the lives of hundreds of children.”

Every student at Mata Bhagwanti Chadha Niketan is a part of our extended family, and we’re more than glad to have spent a wonderful day celebrating their efforts and hardwork.

A Celebration of Patriotic Zeal at MBCN

A Celebration of Patriotic Zeal at MBCN

“Citizenship consists in the service of the country.” – Jawaharlal Nehru

Although India became a free nation on August 15, 1947, it declared itself a sovereign, democratic and republic state on January 26, 1950 with the adoption of our constitution.
When the Indian constitution took effect, it made the Republic of India the most populous democracy in the world.

The transition of India from a British colony to a sovereign, secular and democratic nation was indeed historic. A look into the journey that led to this transition will make our celebrations more meaningful. 68 years ago, the unfurling of the Indian national flag by Dr. Rajendra Prasad heralded the birth of the Indian Republic on January 26, 1950. Since then, we have celebrated this day with pride by inviting guests from all over the world to witness our country’s valour. This year, the guest of honour in our Republic Day Parade was the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The day was celebrated with festivities and patriotic fervour all around the country. Much like the Republic Day hoisting of our tricolour at Red Fort, the sight of celebrations at Mata Bhagwanti Chadha Niketan too were no less exciting. Students were soaked in the patriotic spirit and celebrated our 68th Republic Day with great joy and pride on 25th January, 2017.

The day began by unfurling the national flag and singing the national anthem in solemnity, followed by the students pledging to uphold the honour, integrity and diversity of India.

Special Performances

Showcasing their special talents, students from the H.I. (Hearing Impaired) wing performed a skit inspired by the journey of Indian freedom fighters and paid a special tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and Bhagat Singh for their salient contributions made for the country.

To conclude the ceremony, Dr. Vandana Sharma, Director & Principal, MBCN addressed the students and inspired them to always give their best, serve the country at all costs and be proud Indians. The students dispersed with the image of the fluttering tricolour etched in their minds.

Christmas Celebration at MBCN School

Christmas Celebration at MBCN School

Christmas is the time for family and friends to come together, and there’s no better way to get in the merry spirit than hosting or attending a Winter Carnival. This Christmas Eve, Mata Bhagwanti Chadha Niketan was nothing less than a winter wonderland where we all gathered together to celebrate the zest of this amazing festival with the colours of fun and fervour.

The Highlights
With delicious food, interactive games, and lucky draws and prizes for attendees at every corner, we went the extra mile at our Winter Carnival to bring the magic of Christmas to life. It was a real treat for anyone in the spirit of the season.

Gifts Galore
Thanks to their handmade products and gifts on display, the ‘Swayam’ wing became the de facto Santa Claus at MBCN Winter Carnival. They had something special to offer for everyone, and the handiwork of the students was appreciated by one and all.

Special Guests
The carnival was graced by the appearance of our special guest, the famous and adorable Chhota Bheem. The presence of other tableaus of the animated world made the festivities even more magical for the children.

Not only did our students participate in the carnival, teachers and parents too helped made the event a grand success. While teachers performed live musicals, dances and acts, parents too didn’t miss a chance to rock the stage.

Leaving no stone unturned to sprinkle the magic of their love, the carnival area was wholly decorated by our students themselves.
In case you missed out on being a part of the grandeur, you can still witness the fun we had by clicking on this link → http://bit.ly/2i6L9SU

We wish you all a very Happy New Year and we look forward to organising many more of these events in the years to come.

Rights of Persons With Disabilities Bill: More power to PwD

Rights of Persons With Disabilities Bill: More power to PwD

Human Rights are for us all, but seldom do we see our society uphold these rights without any social or political bias. In that regard, the ‘Rights for Persons with Disabilities Bill’ has indeed come a long way, now amended and shaped to herald a more accommodating future.

Rights of Persons With Disabilities (RPWD) Bill:
The principal act for the empowerment of Persons with disabilities was the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995. It was enforced 20 years back. In the years that followed, however, there have been drastic changes in the disability sector such as understanding disability and its social model of definition, new technology and process of rehabilitation etc.

The new Bill with amendments proposes to repeal the existing Persons with Disabilities (Equal opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995.

The revised bill has come as a boon for many. With the types of disabilities having been increased from 7 to 21, and the Central Government holding the power to add more types in the future, the bill is a much-awaited move to effectuate the Indian government’s ‘Accessible India’ program.

The historic announcement was made on the occasion of ‘International Day of Persons with Disabilities’ (3rd December). It saw the first-time inclusion of speech and language disability and specific learning disability, while acid attack victims, dwarfism, muscular dystrophy etc. were added as separate classes of specified disability. The new categories of disabilities also included three blood disorders: thalassemia, hemophilia and sickle cell disease.

This bill also provides for penalties for offences committed against persons with disabilities. Designated special courts have been proposed to handle cases concerning violation of rights of PwDs, thus accommodating the long-pending concern of whether or not we legally cover all types of disabilities.

Further, additional benefits for persons with benchmark disabilities and those with high support needs have been included. For instance, every child with benchmark disability between the age group of 6 and 18 years shall have the right to free education, while reservations in government jobs for certain persons or class of persons with benchmark disability have been increased from 3% to 4%. To provide financial support to the persons with disabilities, the creation of National and State Funds has been proposed. The need to ensure accessibility in public buildings in a prescribed time-frame has also been stressed upon.

Another highlight from the bill is that it provides penalties for offences committed against persons with disabilities. To handle cases concerning violation of rights of PwDs, the bill proposes the immediate designation of special courts.

This bill has given rise to expectations that it will be adopted at all institutions and public or private bodies in India at both national and state levels to achieve true empowerment and inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in a satisfactory manner.