Rohan Sharma (26) is a passionate guitar player living in Assam’s capital city Guwahati. His passion took him to perform at the 2018 edition of International Special Art and Music Festival- the one and only international festival for artists with intellectual disability-- held in South Korea. Rohan was India’s lone representative in the festival.

However, it required him to undergo constant therapy and training at Ashadeep Day Rehabilitation Centre of the city for several years to overcome the challenge from his intellectually disability due to mild mental retardation, restlessness and lack of patience before he could reach this stage.

Rohan is now also capable of running his own shop in Silpukhuri locality. His exemplary performance and achievement challenge prejudices against intellectual disability which the society still has in the state. Census 2011 data show that altogether 45,193 persons in Assam suffer from mental illness or mental retardation.

However, number of special care and rehabilitation centres are still very less to cater to the needs of such a huge size of population suffering from intellectual disability.

“Ashadeep Day Care and Rehabilitation Centre focuses on providing skills to individuals with intellectual disability and associated disorders, so that they can cope with the challenges. Usually, intellectually disable individual lack necessary skills required for day to day living and has average intelligence,” says Dr. Anjana Goswami, Founder Director, Ashadeep.

World Health Organisation has defined Intellectual disability to be “a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information and to learn and apply new skills (impaired intelligence). This results in a reduced ability to cope independently (impaired social functioning), and begins before adulthood, with a lasting effect on development.” Who also says that the “Disability depends not only on a child’s health conditions or impairments but also and crucially on the extent to which environmental factors support the child’s full participation and inclusion in society,”

The Founder Director of the Centre says that due to lack of financial support parents and guardians of many children with intellectual disability cannot afford expensive therapy sessions. Therefore, they need constant support and care which can be given by the society itself. They need a barrier free environment and inclusive society where they can grow like the ordinary children. In many metro cities like Bangalore, rehab centers have collaborated with the city’s metropolitan corporation where the special child are engaged in work such as data entries. The education system also needs to be changed and every school should admit the special children, adds Dr. Goswami.

The parents also echo Dr Goswami that while planning the development of the city, the accessibility of such special children should be one of the priorities. There should be more therapy centers and rehabs for their quick recovery. Particularly, the rural areas are still lacking such facility and awareness.

Photo Courtesy ASHADEEP

Jayanta Goswami (30), the oldest student of the Centre, who was admitted in the Centre when he was only seven years old and was diagnosed with mild mental retardation. He was misdiagnosed and was treated wrongly for initial three years of his life. He had speech impaired, lacked basic motor skills, and was very restless. However, he continued with his struggle, though he lacked some skills but had a keen interest in music. After many years of training at Ashadeep, Jayanta can now memorise a whole song and sing it beuatifully.

His trainer, Pratima Devi, a teacher of Ashadeep says, “Though sometimes I might mess up the lyrics of a particular song, he immediately corrects me.”

What will happen to these students after they achieve a manageable level to control their mental retardation, what will happen to them after their parents, whether they will be able to live like a normal individual or they will always be look down upon as someone with disabilities? Parents of a section of students of the Centre, say that these questions have no easy answer. They feel that the process to end prejudices against persons with intellectual disability should begin with individuals who form the society and there is a need of proper awareness right from the school level.

Sushmita Bhowmick and Jeet Saikia

( Sushmita Bhowmick and Jeet Saikia are students of B.A. ( Mass Communication), Assam Don Bosco University. They have produced this story as part of their Summer Internship at NEZINE )