Syed Sallauddin Pasha to Produce and Direct 100 Films on Differently Abled

After the successful 100 therapeutic theatre stage productions on wheel chairs for and by the differently Abled, Guinness world record and Limca book of record holder, Guru Syed Sallauddin Pasha takes the brave step to produce and direct 100 films for persons with special needs. Syed Sallauddin Pasha says "It is high time to move from the stage to the silver screen, to showcase the outstanding abilities and talent of persons with special abilities through films, documentaries". Pasha’s film "Miracle on wheels", "Wheelchair Gods", "Colours of Abilities", "Wheelchair Sufis" are ready to release soon. These films will be unique and the first of its kind in the world. The film is based completely on therapeutic theatre and real life stories. These Films convey the message of dignity, equality, inclusion and empowerment. "I want my films to reach the masses so that it contributes in changing the negative perception of the society towards people with disabilities, I strongly believe that specially Abled people don't need mercy..... they need an opportunity" says Syed Sallauddin Pasha in all sincerity. There are 70 million disabled people in the country and they are the invisible minority because India is not disable friendly. Thousands of films are made every year in the country and very rarely you find films on persons with disabilities. Films made on abilities & capabilities of Differently Abled people will send across a great message across the globe. Guru Pasha is recipient of National Award from President of India and he has dedicated three decades of his life for the welfare of persons with disabilities. His innovative work on wheelchairs has captured Lakhs of people across the world. Film made on the life and Achievements of Guru Syed Sallauddin Pasha and his disciples "DEEP RAISING" directed by Merajur Rahman Baruah will be screened for the First time at India International Centre on 19th September 2015 at 10 am, entry is open to all.  Source : Business wire India , 18th Sep 2015

First Dental clinic for people with special needs opens at Al Wakra Hospital

Al Wakra Hospital (AWH), a member of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), has opened the first of its kind specialized dental clinic for people with special needs.

Speaking about the clinic, Dr. Abdulhakim Ahmad Al Yafei, Consultant Pediatric and Special Needs Dentistry and Head of Dentistry Department at AWH said: “This is the first time in the Middle East that such a clinic, which caters to both children and adults with special needs, has been established. This specially designed facility provides a more accessible and accommodating service that is intended to be less stressful for patients and provides an ideal alternative to regular dental clinics.” He said patients do not need a referral to take advantage of the specialized dental care at this new clinic.

According to him, the new clinic is equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment, which meets global standards, and is staffed with a medical team comprising three consultants and two specialists. The clinic provides oral and dental healthcare such as tooth extraction, filling and implants, in addition to orthodontics, prosthodontics and treatment of caries and gingivitis.

Dr. Al Yafei explained that the new clinic has a specially designed door which is wide enough to allow access to patients with mobility impairment. The clinic is also equipped with a special lifting apparatus, which can lift an object up to 400 kg in weight, thus enabling treatment of patients while they are seated on their wheelchairs.

“A full-fledged operation room has been set up to receive patients once a week for dental care under general anesthesia. This room is utilized for radiology imaging under general anesthesia for those patients who experience difficulty when they undergo radiology imaging. The new clinic also allows patients to receive care from physicians of various specialties, as may be necessary for their cases,” Dr Al Yafei said.

Dr. Ohoud Al Kuwari, Dentist at AWH said: “Our hospital is receiving more children with special needs because we found that about 30 percent of all children seeking dental care were special needs children and hence we concluded there was a real need to open a special clinic dedicated to these patients.”

“The clinic also allows those unable to clean their teeth independently the chance of having a dental cleaning and treatment procedure, under general anesthesia, every six months,” said Dr. Al Kuwari adding that there are plans to increase dental specialties available at the clinic to include other specialties such as periodontics and dental nerve treatment required by patients with epilepsy who may need frequent removal of their gums and cleaning of their dental nerve.

He added that the hospital plans to coordinate with various schools to facilitate their students with special needs to avail of the specialist dental services offered.

Source : Albawaba , 20th Sep 2015 

Electric wheelchairs rented by healthy shoppers draws criticism

A staff member drives Safe Mobility power Chair at Dubai mall. Safe mobility company is renting Baby Stroller





Women trying their hands on a Safe Mobility power Chair at Dubai mall.



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Able-bodied shoppers who hire special needs mobility services at a mall in Dubai are drawing the ire of mall visitors who say that electric-powered wheelchairs should be used only by those with special needs.

A company providing these devices at kiosks in different parking locations at Dubai Mall, has been renting out power wheelchairs by the hour. Recently, a group of physically fit shoppers were spotted cruising around the mall in these wheelchairs, drawing the attention of shoppers.

The manager of Safe Mobility at Dubai Mall, which launched its services in seven parking lobbies three months ago, however, argued that the service is not limited to just one segment of the society.

“If someone is tired or is an elderly [person], who says they cannot rent the power wheelchair?” Joy Orah said. “Our service is especially for people with mobility impairment, but it’s open for everyone. If a shopper is tired, has a sore leg, is pregnant or is visiting the mall for the first time and has to walk a long distance to find a shop, why should we stop them from renting it?”

Orah explained that they have launched the service to make sure mobility is not an issue at such a huge mall. “It’s a convenient way to get around the mall. We are trying to enhance people’s shopping experience, but we always give priority to people with disability.”

At the same time, “we don’t allow people below the age of 18 to rent them”, Orah explains. “But we also don’t want to limit it and say it’s only for people who are disabled. We have enough electric wheelchairs to accommodate everybody, and we also have manual wheelchairs, which the mall also provides for free. We have never run out of wheelchairs.”

Visitors, however, believe that the company should stick to its business philosophy and cater only to those with mobility impairment, as per their branding.

George Nackley, a Canadian father of a special needs child, said use of wheelchairs for amusement purposes is disrespectful towards people with special needs.

“I’m totally against it because if it becomes a trend and a popular way of transport among everyone, there will be no wheelchairs for the people who actually need them. Everybody will start renting them and, when the mall becomes crowded, they will start banging into people,” he said.

“It’s only a three-month-old service and there are people already at the mall using these chairs.” He said if people are too tired to walk in a mall, they shouldn’t be there.

Another parent of a special needs child concedes [these devices] would be a great facility for people with leg ache, weight issues or other health problems that hinder them from walking for too long, but these devices are not there to be taken advantage of.

“My concern is that it would become a gadget of convenience, moving away from its real purpose. It is designed for people with mobility impairment and [it’s not meant] for any other reason,” said Rebecca Corley from the UK.

Sahad Mourad, a regular visitor to the mall, said there should be rules on this just like there are rules for parking for disabled people. He suggested a health certificate be presented at the kiosk.

“People should use alternative means to transport themselves comfortably around the mall, like golf carts or other devices, but not wheelchairs. The blame should be shared by people [wrongfully] renting it, not just the company,” he said.

Sam Al Jader, from Iraq, said it’s not only disrespectful but it also discourages people from walking. “People don’t walk in the UAE and diabetes is on the rise here. I don’t think it’s a good idea.” 

Source : Gulf News Culture , 20th Sep 2015 

Gulf Bank launches Social Media Competition for Marathon My Gulf Bank 642 Story

Today Gulf Bank announced the launch of a social media competition as part of its upcoming marathon. While the marathon event is scheduled to take place on 14 November 2015, the social media competition begins today and is a way to share your health and fitness story and inspire others before the actual marathon.Entry into the social media competition is open to all, and the entry process is simple. Three winners will be selected from all the entries and will win a specialized marathon training program.

The competition is called "My Gulf Bank 642 Marathon Story" and is a means for participants to engage with one another, inspire others, and win a special personalized marathon training program. To take part in the competition, all you need to do is answer the following question on social media, “Why do you want to participate in the marathon?” and post a picture of yourself at any stage in your fitness journey. You must use the hashtag #gulfbank642 and have a public profile for us to be able to view your entry.

The social media competition will last for approximately two weeks before three winners are selected. Your entry will be judged on the story you share and the photo of your path to fitness and or a healthy lifestyle. The three winners will be selected from among all the entries; one female, one male and a person with special needs. A committee formed of executives from Gulf Bank, Pro-Vision Sport Management, Dasman Diabetes Institute, and Circuit+ will choose the winners based on the story and photo posted. The prize for the winners is a 40-day training and transformation program, which will be monitored and led by professional runners and trainers. 

This actual marathon event will be held on Saturday, 14 November 2015, and will be the first full road race marathon in Kuwait.  The date of the event also coincides with World Diabetes Day (WDD) in order to raise awareness of the growing problem of diabetes in Kuwait, and how exercise and fitness play a role in combating this health issue.

This year’s marathon will include five different categories of races, in order to appeal to all levels and age groups in Kuwait.  The categories include: Family Fun Run for new beginners (5KM); the Special Run for the handicapped (5KM), the Souq Run for regular runners (10KM), the Half Marathon for more advanced runners (21KM); and the Full Marathon (42KM). The route for the marathon race will pass through high traffic areas including Gulf Road, Souq Sharq, Kuwait Towers, and Souq Mubarakia.



Source : Albawaba , 20th Sep 2015

Smartphones, apps are liberating the blind and visually impaired

Vet Ruben Morales’ iPhone is just like any other, but he uses a screen-reading software called VoiceOver, which lets him access all the mobile device’s features.


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Ruben Morales, a blind, 59-year-old retired engineer who lives in this Silicon Valley city, has used a specialized screen-reading program for years to write and run spreadsheets on his desktop computer.

But recently, he figuratively cut the cord to his desktop and joined the mobile revolution. Morales was visiting an area Veterans Affairs blind rehabilitation center, learning how to use an iPhone’s features for vision-impaired people.

“It’s pretty amazing,” Morales said, demonstrating how he can call up a song and play it with a few taps.

“Whatever I can do on the computer I can basically do it on the iPhone. It has the same capability.”

The smartphone, a gadget designed for the sighted, has turned out to be a godsend for the blind and visually impaired, making them more independent than ever before.

With VoiceOver, the iPhone’s built-in gesture-based app that reads text on a touch-screen aloud, or Google Android’s TalkBack, blind users can access anything on their phones. The user activates apps with a few gestures – single finger to explore and find buttons, one-finger touch to identify things on the screen, and double-tap to push the button after it’s located.

“It’s a learning curve, but you can learn to do every single thing on an iPhone that anyone else can do,” said Lee Huffman, editor of AccessWorld, published by the American Foundation for the Blind. “These devices are opening up a whole new world.”

It didn’t look like it would turn out that way at first.

“The blind community started getting really panicky” when smartphones and later, tablets, took off following the iPhone’s debut in 2007, researcher Joshua Miele, associate director of Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute in San Francisco, recalled. “Touch-screens were a real concern.”

But in 2009, Apple included VoiceOver in its mobile operating system, and followed up with the personal assistant Siri in 2011, launching a new world of mobility for the visually impaired. Google added TalkBack, a screen reader, to its Android operating system in 2009 and Google Now, a personal assistant, in 2012. Microsoft mobile has similar features.

“It’s made a huge difference, productivity-wise,” said Jennison Asuncion, accessibility leader at LinkedIn, who is blind. “I use my mobile phone probably even more than lot of people.”

Erin Lauridsen, 32, a trainer at the Independent Living Resource Center in San Francisco, has been blind since birth and grew up using expensive, clunky, single-purpose devices for doing course work in school.

“When the iPhone 3GS came out with VoiceOver built in, it was a huge game-changer for me and a lot of other people,” she said.

She uses an app called BlindSquare for navigation; Money Reader to identify currency denominations; and Voice Dream Reader to assemble audio playlists of documents from many sources. She also uses Uber and a lot of other popular apps.

“I’m on an equal footing with what everyone else does – the Yelping, Facebooking and Twittering,” she said. 

Source : Herald Online , 16th Sep 2015

Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/living/article35404428.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/living/article35404428.html#storylink=cpy

2 books launched on Blind People's Association annual day

On the occasion of Blind People's Association annual day event - Rangotsav - on Monday, two books charting its journey and different facets were launched at Tagore Hall. Over 250 students from BPA's all campuses participated in the event and showed their talent in various performing arts.

Bhushan Punani, executive secretary of BPA, said that annual day coincides with All India Flag Day for the Blind announced by National Association for the Blind. "It is one day when all students, volunteers and faculties from our campuses in Kutch, Surendranagar and Ahmedabad get together on one platform, celebrate it with joy and students showcase their prowess. However, this year, the event became more special with launch of two books," he said.

BPA officials said that while a book on Jagdish Patel charts BPA's journey, it is for the first time that the authors from outside the organization saw it from different perspective. While KK Verma, former director of Academy of Human Resources Development, has penned 'Saga of an Emerging Voluntary Organization in Gujarat', Shubhra Gaur, a professor with MICA, has written 'Charity to Parity: New Dimensions of NGO Management'.

The first book looks BPA from and HRD point of view whereas the second one delves upon organizational and managerial aspects.



Source : TOI , 15th Sep 2015

National Wildlife Week to be celebrated at Delhi Zoo

Delhi Zoo is all set to celebrate 'National Wildlife Week' in the first week of October, with many activities planned for school children and wildlife enthusiasts in the zoo premises.

Apart from school children, university students, parents and amateur photographers can participate in the festival.

"A range of activities, from essay writing, clay modelling, poster making, debate competition, wildlife quiz and photography contests, have been planned for the National Wildlife Week in the first week of October," Riyaz Khan, zoo curator said.

The Wildlife Week will be celebrated in all zoos of the country simultaneously.

"It is an annual event and all the wildlife parks of the country celebrate it during this time of the year," he said.

The entry of children up to 12 years of age has been made free during this time.

Apart from school children, university students, parents and amateur photographers can participate in the festival.

"Among the highlights of the event, we are hosting a special clay modelling session for physically challenged children.

An expert talk on wildlife preservation is also lined up," Khan said.

"We are reaching out to all schools in the capital via SMS and email. We are sure to record a good footfall for the event," he added.

The participants above 12 years of age can register on or before the commencement of the Wildlife Week at the National Zoological Park itself.



Source: Economic Times , 20th Sep 2015

Iranian physically-challenged female shooters stand out in 2015 IPC World Cup

Iranian female sports shooters have put in brilliant performances at the 2015 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Shooting World Cup in Australia, claiming all three podium places in P2 10m air pistol shooting competitions.

On Saturday, the London 2012 Paralympic Games bronze medalist, Sareh Javanmardi, scored 386 points to finish in the first place and win the gold medal in Sydney, Australia.

Her teammate Samira Eram earned 381 points to land in the second spot and scoop up the silver medal. Iranian female athlete Aliyeh Mahmoudi collected 374 points altogether and received the bronze.

The 2015 IPC Shooting World Cup, with Rio 2016 Paralympics direct quota allocation, opened in Sydney on September 15 and ended on September 19. The sports event attracted 150 athletes from 34 countries.

Iranian shooters managed to clinch a silver medal in P4 (mixed 50-meter pistol SH1) competitions, secure a Paralympic quota place in P1 10m air pistol contests, and snatch all available medals in P2 10m air pistol competitions.

Source : The Russia News Feed , 19th Sep 2015

Handicapped Bathroom Design : Do You Have A Physical Disability ?

Handicapped Bathroom Design Do You Have A Physical Disability-

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Source: Minimalist Interior Designs

Disability doesn’t stop law student from pursuing dream

Equal to the task. Antonie Bendanillo, a third-year law student at Southwestern University, says physically-disabled people like him should not think of themselves any less. 

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THE last thing 29-year old Antonie “Tonton” Eduard Bendanillo wants is to be useless.

Bendanillo, a third-year law student at the Southwestern University (SWU), had both of his fore arms amputated after he touched a live wire when he was 12.

“I thought my life would end that very moment,” he said, recalling the incident that nearly fried him alive.

“My arms were totally damaged and I felt like my legs exploded,” he said.

Back to square one

That incident happened on the summer of his first year in high school.

He spent the next four years and eight months in the hospital and another year to fully recover at their home in Tabango, Leyte.

The doctor told him he could not walk again. After years of no exercise, his leg muscles had atrophied.

Bendanillo, though, didn’t give up. Like a toddler struggling to take his first steps, he learned how to walk again.

He also practiced holding a pen and writing using his upper limbs.

“I have regrets due to the permanent disability it caused but (I am) thankful at the same time because it allowed me to see more of my direction in life,” Bendanillo said, noting he had long accepted his fate.

Challenge

“I take it as a challenge; whatever trials that come, I bear it in a positive way,” he added.

In 2012, he graduated with a degree in political science at the University of San Jose-Recoletos. He first studied law there before transferring to the SWU this semester.

Bendanillo lives with his sister while he studies.

He is the third of five siblings of a government employee and a housewife.

Recording discussions using his phone helps him keep track of his lessons.

Atty. Godwin Manginsay, SWU chief legal counsel and a law professor, said they give Bendanillo extra time to complete the exams.

Coming from a place that he describes as filled with people who usually take the law into their own hands, Bendanillo said he wants to convince the public to place their trust in the justice system.

His uncle’s death while in prison also pushed him to take a career in law, saying the former did not survive to prove his innocence against a homicide charge for allegedly causing death to a minor.

Bendanillo said physically-disabled people like him should not think of themselves any less.

“Continue to strive for your dreams. There may be opportunities that only we could grasp and not the normal people,” he said. 

Source : Sun Star , 12th Sep 2015 

Researchers Identify the Differences Between Autistic and Non-Autistic Brains

A new methodology for analyzing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has demonstrated the difference between autistic and non-autistic brains for the first time, according to a study published in Brain.

Researchers from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom developed the Brain Wide Association Analysis (BWAS), in order to create panoramic views of the whole brain and provide scientists with accurate three dimensional brain models to study. BWAS was then used to identify regions of the brain that may significantly impact or contribute to symptoms of autism.

BWAS analyzes more than one billion individual pieces of data from nearly 1,000 patients, the researchers explained. The analysis system covers nearly 50,000 different areas of the brain (called voxels), which comprise a functional MRI (fMRI) scan and highlights the interconnectivity.

Then, the researchers were able to compile, compare, and contrast the most accurate computer brain models for both autistic and non-autistic brains. Previous methods for processing this data were restricted to modeling only certain areas at a time, the researchers continued.

After collecting the data and analyzing the images, the investigators concluded the key differences involved brain functions in cases of autism.

“We identified in the autistic model a key system in the temporal lobe visual cortex with reduced cortical functional connectivity,” explained lead BWAS developer Jianfeng Feng in a press release. “This region is involved with the face expression processing involved in social behavior. This key system has reduced functional connectivity with the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, which is implicated in emotion and social communication.”

Another key system relating to reduced cortical function connectivity the researchers were able to identify was part of the parietal lobe implicated in spatial functions. The two types of functionality, the authors suggest, are facial expression related and of one’s self and the environment. These are important components of the computations behind a person’s mind, the authors purport, because the reduced connectivity within the brain regions may contribute heavily into the development and symptoms of autism.

The investigators believe that BWAS can possibly isolate areas within the brain involved in the onset of other cognitive problems in diseases such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and schizophrenia.

“We used BWAS to analyze resting state fMRI data collected from 523 autistic people and 452 controls, Feng explained. “The amount of data analyzed helped to achieve the sufficient statistical power necessary for this first voxel based, comparison of whole autistic and non-autistic brains. Until the development of BWAS this had not been possible. BWAS tests for differences between patients and controls in the connectivity of every pair of voxels at a whole brain level.

Unlike previous seed based or independent components based approaches, this method has the great advantage of being fully unbiased in that the connectivity of all brain voxels can be compared, not just selected brain regions.”

  

Source: hcplive , 11th Sep 2015 

Scientists believe oxytocin nasal spray has the potential to cure autism in individuals

Scientists from the University of Oslo in Norway conducted a study that looked into the possibility of using oxytocin nasal spray to help cure— or at least ease— mental conditions, as well as autism, in patients.

The research, which was done in collaboration with Pennsylvania-based company OptiNose, was made based around the idea from recent researches that the hormone oxytocin is capable of boosting neuronal signals, which in turn helps the brain become more attuned to social cues such as facial expressions— something that individuals with autism are believed to be struggling with.

The scientists believe that drug delivery through nasal spray is far more effective than through the use of other mediums, as it makes the delivery of the drug to the brain far faster.

According to OptiNose, the type of technology that they were able to come up with delivers the drugs to the upper part of the nose, which is thought to be the best target in the nasal area to get the drugs to the brain more effectively.

The research involved a small clinical trial with 16 healthy adult participants. The scientists administered low and high doses of oxytocin to the participants through the nasal sprays, as well as an intravenous dose of the hormone.

The scientists noted that the oxytocin nasal spray in low doses appeared to be far more effective than that of the ones in high doses, while the intravenous doses given to the participants did not seem to have any effect on them at all.

According to study author and University of Oslo Professor Ole Andreassen:

“A dose that is lower, but that still influences behavior, will entail a lower risk of affecting other regulatory systems in the body. Very high doses of oxytocin could, in fact, have the opposite effect on social behavior.”

Results of the tests were measured based on how the participants scored in a test involving emotional ratings, where they were asked to identify different facial expressions.

The study was published in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

The scientists are planning on testing the oxytocin nasal sprays on individuals with mental disorders, and are hoping to expand their research in the near future.

Source : Autism Daily News Cast , 12th Sep 2015 

Himachal first state providing free education to disabled students - Shimla

 Himachal Pradesh has become the first State in the country to provide University level education free to disabled students. The High Court of Himachal Pradesh on 4th June, 2015 had ordered all the three State Universities to make necessary amendments in their rules within a period of six weeks to ensure free education to the disabled children, in a PIL filed by Ajai Srivastava, a University teacher and Chairman of Umang Foundation, a public welfare trust.

Himachal Pradesh University, CSK Agriculture University, Palampur and Dr. Y.S. Parmar Horticulture and Forestry University, Solan have complied with the orders of the court.

Ajai Srivastava, in a press conference today, said that the State Government has to provide free education to the disabled in schools and colleges within period of six months from the date of the court orders. This case has started a sort of revolution in disabled persons’ education in the State.

The court had also ordered to increase the rates of scholarships for disabled students of all classes up to Rs. 3000 per month and to provide necessary teaching faculty, facilities and infrastructure in the special schools at Dhalli, Shimla and Sunder Nagar.

The court had also directed the Government, Universities, State Public Service Commission and Subordinate Services Selection Board to provide amanuensis (writers) to the blind and other students who cannot write due to disability, as per the provisions of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995.

He expressed happiness that the children with blindness, deafness, physical disabilities and intellectual disabilities within the State of Himachal Pradesh will get free education up to University level in all courses including professional and vocational also. Srivastava said,

“I have personally confirmed from the Registrars of all the three Universities about the compliance of the court orders. Now the disabled students need not pay any fee in these Universities. The State Government is also making necessary amendments in the rules to provide free education to the disabled.”

Earlier, Srivastava letter to the then Chief Justice High Court of Himachal Pradesh, Kurian Joseph on 29th July, 2011 was treated as PIL by the High Court. It was this petition which ensured free residential education to the disabled children initially in Government Senior Secondary School, Portmore Shimla, and then in three other schools of the State – Govt. Sr. Sec. School at Nahan, Joginder Nagar and Nagrota Bagwan.



Source : The News Himachal , 13th Sep 2015

Unexpected failure in Plus 2 inspires Rajesh to be a lawyer - Kochi

                K.M. Rajesh with his parents and relatives. 

K.M. Rajesh, who is visually impaired, began to think of courts and legal procedures after he failed unexpectedly in a Plus 2 practical exam. Since he had done the practical exam well, there was no reason for his failure, and the matter went to court. When he understood more about law and courts, he decided to become a lawyer. And that desire was fulfilled when he took the attorney's oath yesterday.

Rajesh is the son of K.V. Mohan Pillai and Radhamani of Kizhakeveliyil in Charamangalam, Cherthala. He took his postgraduate degree in political science from Maharaja’s College. Then he studied in Law College using material for the visually impaired.

Rajesh’s family ekes out a living by making coir. His relatives and neighbours had come to witness the 29-year-old taking the oath. He is planning to practise in Cherthala. He does not know how he will find the money needed to open his office. “I have reached till here. That too will work out,” said Rajesh confidently.

369 people enrol as lawyers

What matters is determination, and if a person is resolute, physical disabilities can be overcome. K.M. Rajesh, a visually impaired person from Cherthala, and Gokul Ratnakar, a native of Kudappanakunnu in Thiruvananthapuram who is partially paralysed, proved this yesterday. Including them, 369 people enrolled as lawyers at a function held in Maharaja’s College.

Among the newly enrolled lawyers were Vinay Mathew, son of justice K.M. Joseph, the chief justice of Uttarakhand; Keshav Raj Nair, son of justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan; Prerith Philip, son of justice Mary Joseph; Keerthi Vas, son of V. Giri, a former judge of the high court; Anagha Lakshmi, daughter of retired justice P.R. Raman; Amit Krishnan, son of law secretary B.G. Hareendra Nath; Angita Praveen, granddaughter of former chief minister E.K. Nayanar; V. Harikrishnan, son of CPM central committee member A. Vijayaraghavan; and Thulasi Raj, daughter of Kaleeswaram Raj, a prominent lawyer.

Bar Council chairman Joseph John presided over the function. Advocate general K.P. Dandapani, NUALS vice-chancellor Rose Varghese, enrolment committee chairman K.N. Anil Kumar and its member C.S. Ajithan Namboothiri addressed the gathering. 

Source : Manorma online , 13th Sep 2015 

Geeta may be kept at a Delhi facility on repatriation from Pakistan

Prabhat K. Jain (L), second secretary at the High Commission of India in Pakistan, shows Geeta, the pictures of families in India who have claimed to be her parents and siblings, during his visit to the Bilquis Edhi Foundation in Karachi, Pakistan.




According to sources in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the 23-year-old woman is likely to be put up at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute for the Physically Handicapped in New Delhi.

Amid efforts to bring back Geeta, the Indian woman stranded in Pakistan, the government has zeroed in on an institution where she could be accommodated after repatriation.

According to sources in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the 23-year-old woman is likely to be put up at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute for the Physically Handicapped in New Delhi.

"We have sent a proposal to the External Affairs Ministry that Geeta should be accommodated at Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute for the Physically Handicapped. She would also be provided expert assistance from the regional centre of the Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped located in the national capital," a senior official with the Ministry told PTI.

The institute is an autonomous organization under the administrative control of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, which was assigned the responsibility to find a suitable place to accommodate the differently-abled woman.

Geeta is believed to have inadvertently crossed over to Pakistani territory as a child. She was 7-8 years old when she was found by the Pakistan Rangers 15 years ago at Lahore railway station, according to reports from there. She is currently under the care of a charity Edhi Foundation.

Four families from Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh have claimed Geeta was their daughter and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has asked Chief Ministers of these states to send photographs of those claiming to be her parents which could be sent to her for identification.  

Source : Khaleej Times , 13th Sep 2015

Risky railway route

 

S.M. Ratna, Deputy Director of Telangana State Police Academy, who was assaulted by robbers in Simhapuri Express near Gudur on Saturday.

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Police officers familiar with the modus operandi of train robbers on the dreaded Guntur-Nellore stretch said it is always advisable to ensure that one is not alone in a compartment, especially during the risky window of 10 midnight to 5 am.

Telangana Police Academy Deputy Director S.M. Ratna made the mistake of being alone in the compartment for physically handicapped persons on the Simhapuri Express on Saturday morning, police officials said. Most of the passengers on this train get down at Nellore, leaving it nearly empty as it goes on to its final destination of Gudur, 35 km away.

That was the opportunity her assailant had planned for. He boarded the train at Ongole and must have waited for his quarry to be perfectly vulnerable. Railway officials said that as the robber boarded the train at Ongole, he may probably be a gangster belonging to Stuartpuram in Guntur district or Kapparallathippa in Nellore district. “The sort of ad hoc travel plans Ratna made land many into the hands of robbers. People should not resort to risky travel under any circumstances,” said a railway police officer in Nellore.

Explaining the modus operandi of train robbers, the officer said they look for vulnerable passengers like lone travellers, woman passengers and aged people. They take care not to attack people who are cautious and who are vigilant about fellow passengers. Railway officials on this route advise passengers to be wary if they are approached by strangers. They point out the robbery of a group of jewellers from Kavali on the Navjeevan Express back in May this year. The robbers posed as police officers, ordered the jewellers to get off the train with them and robbed them thereafter. Officials also advise passengers to be particularly alert at vulnerable points along this train route.

In the incident on Saturday, Ms. Ratna was attacked as the train slowed down as it passed Challa Kaluva, a small dry stream 5 km from Gudur. The Simhapuri Express stopped there as station staff had to find a platform for it at the Gudur railway station.

The robber snatched valuables from Ms Ratna and jumped onto the sandy riverbed and disappeared into the bushes.

The sort of ad hoc travel plans Ms Ratna made land many passengers into the hands of robbers

- Railway official 

Source : The Hindu , 13th Sep 2015

International Assistive Technology Conference

The ATIA 2016 international assistive technology conference will be in Orlando at the Caribe Royale All-Suites and Resort Convention center February 3 – 6.

They have an incredible line-up of venders, workshops, and seminars. If you are considering purchasing an assistive device and have the time, money and patience I highly recommend attending this conference.

Exhibitors:

AbleNet Adaptivation Adaptive Switch Laboratories Ai Squared American Occupational Therapy Association American Printing House for the Blind AssistiveWare Attainment Company BAUM Retec BlueSky Designs Cadan Technologies Charmtech Labs LLC Compusult Conversor Crick Software Daedalus Technologies, Inc. Dolphin Don Johnston Incorporated Duxbury Systems EnableMart Enabling Technologies Enhanced Vision Eschenbach Optik Freedom Scientific FRS Custom Solutions gh, LLC HIMS HumanWare InclusiveTLC IRIE-AT/Zoomax USA Jabbla Job Accommodation Network Kurzweil Education LC Technology Solutions Incorporated Learning Ally LessonPix Lusovu Lda LVI ModularHose.com n2y Nasco Optelec Oribi Origin Instruments Perkins Solutions Prentke Romich Company Regina & District Association for Community Living REHAdapt North America Saltillo Corporation Smartbox Smarty Symbols Sonocent Speak For Yourself LLC TACK-TILES Braille Systems Texthelp The Center for AAC & Autism Therapy Box Tobii Dynavox Voxello Inc. Widgit ZYGO-USA

For more info:

http://www.atia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1 

Source : LVATUG Blog 

Disabled SA athlete, convicted of murder, is state’s ‘role model’ - Mumbai

Oscar Pistorius, the South African Paralympic champion who is serving a five-year sentence for killing his girlfriend, is the role model for the Maharashtra state social justice department. His picture has been displayed outside the Mantralaya cabin of minister Rajkumar Badole. 

Of the total six posters displayed outside the minister's cabin, four of them are foreigners. Three of them are of physically disabled people, two are mentally challenged and one of a south Indian traditional dance. These posters also have mugshots of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Rajkumar Badole and minister of state for social justice Dilip Kamble. 

Pistorius is a South African double-amputee sprinter, also known as the Blade Runner. His legs were amputated from below the knee when he was 11 months old but has competed in events for single below-knee amputees and normal athletes. 

Pistorius was sentenced to five years in jail for culpable homicide after shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14, 2013. 

Officials from Badole's office said they were not aware of who featured in the posters or what their background was. 

However, sources said Gajanan Wagh, a BJP man who hails from the minister's native town and who is considered close to him, had selected and displayed the posters with the minister's permission. 

"I don't know who they are. I have just randomly searched for 'physically challenged' on the internet and selected these pictures. These pictures and inspirational quotes are a step to encourage physically and mentally disabled people," Wagh told TOI. 

He however said the "motivational posters will soon be replaced with Indian, preferably Maharashtrian award winners, such as blind music composer Ravindra Jain and others". 

Badole was not available for comment despite repeated attempts - he was not at his Mantralaya office on Friday and did not respond to phone calls and text messages seeking comment. 

Opposition Congress termed the episode as 'government's stupidity'.

An activist working for physically disabled people said, on the condition of anonymity, "The officials from the department at least should know about the background of the people on the posters; otherwise it would be an insult to the minister. The department should also consider state and national players from the country. They would also feel honoured and proud."



Source : TOI , 13th Sep 2015 

Rights body serves notice on CMO of Udham Singh Nagar - Nainital

Coming to the rescue of a physically challenged man -- who was not issued a disability certificate after he lost one of the limbs due to electric shock -- the Uttarakhand Human Rights Commission issued a notice to the chief medical officer (CMO) of Udham Singh Nagar district on September 10.

Commission chairman Vijendra Jain said, "If the officer fails to comply with the order before the next hearing slated for October 28, action will be taken against him."

"If the disability medical certificate is not issued till the next date of hearing, an inquiry will be initiated under Section-18 of the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993 for award of compensation as well as prosecution of the CMO, Udham Singh Nagar," the order stated.

Yogendra Singh's right hand was amputated after he touched an open wire of the Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) at Haldwani in April this year. The incident had rendered him unemployed.

Power corporation officials told the commission that they had issued a cheque of Rs 10,000 to Yogendra and more relief would be paid to him soon.

Gurvinder Singh Chaddha, the complainant said, "I approached the commission after I got to know about Yogendra's condition. He should be compensated by the UPCL as it was their responsibility not to leave the wire open."


Source: TOI , 12th Sep 2015

Return unused funds: Bala Vikas Academy - Dharwad

The Karnataka Bala Vikas Academy has asked all state government departments which haven't used up funds sanctioned by it for various projects to return them.

Academy president Drakshaini Basavaraj told reporters here on Thursday that a number of projects have been planned for the year, such as a state-level convention of physically challenged children, Pratibha Awards for children from slums and SSLC students, and a parents and children's meet.

The academy also plans to organize a district Makkala Habba to help students from rural areas. The fund for the Habba has been increased from Rs 65,000 to Rs 1 lakh. 

Source : TOI , 12th Sep 2015