SBI donates Rs 11 lakh to an NGO for social work

Kolkata, Jul 26:In a unique example of expressing solidarity with handicapped children, State Bank of India (SBI) has donated Rs eleven lakhs to a Durgapur based Non Governmental Organisation -"Speech and Hearing Action Society" (SAHAS) as part its Community Development programmes.

SBI Deputy Managing Director P K Mitra handed over the cheque to SAHAS President Madhumita (Mitra) Jajodia at a simple function here yesterday in presence of SBI Chief General Manager, Bengal Circle, Uday Shankar Roy and several other dignitories.

Hailing the work being done by SAHAS in bringing back the joy of life to nearly 450 deaf and dump children in the state for more than a decade now through a unique speech therapy, Mr Mitra said this self help organization had been able to reject the common belief that a child born deaf shall essentially remain dumb and shall be placed in the "Deaf and Dumb" category.

"SAHAS has implemented its firm belief that a child born deaf can definitely be trained to speak like you and me and can join mainstream schools along with their hearing peers and acquire a proper education," said Ms Jajodia after accepting the largest ever donation from the bank.

"The Motto of SAHAS is 'Deaf But Not Dumb'," she said adding in fact the seniormost SAHAS child Angshu was now studying in Class twelve in Ramkrishna Mission High School, Malda, after having passed ICSE with high first Division marks following regular schooling at St. Xavier High School, Durgapur.

Besides being fluent in Bengali and English he is now learning German language by completely overcoming his problem when all doctors had given up hope, she said.

Two deaf children of SAHAS, Abhik Mukherjee of Baarjora(Bankura), and Renu Roy of Asansol, recited a Rabindnath Tagore poem in Bengali without even faltering a bit and presented a Bharatnatyam dance respectively not only to mesmerise those present but also to prove that by sheer grit and determination even immpossible hurdles could be overcome with ease.

Asked about their future plan with donation amount, Mrs Jajodia, also the principal od Durgapur college, said they had decided to set up a national level Institute at Durgapur where deaf children within five years of age would be trained to speak and pursue school education in the usual way along with other normal children.

The construction work of the proposed building was expected to begin immediately after monsoon in November this year, she confirmed.

UNI