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June 17, 2002 

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COLLEGE PROFESSOR WHO RUNS DAY-CARE CENTRE FOR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED

Dr. P. Bhanumathy, Professor,  Kerala Varma College, Thrissur

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Dr. P. Bhanumathy, Professor of Kerala Varma College, Thrissur, who runs a day care center for mentally handicapped, has been selected for the award constituted by the Manavaseva Dharmasamvardhini Trust, Chennai, this year.

For Bhanumathy, the care of mentally handicapped adults is an extension of her commitment to her mother.  Her mother had the misfortune of raising 3 mentally retarded children besides Bhanumathy.  Clasping the unfortunate children to her bosom, Karthyayini Amma used to pray to God: “Oh, Lord, call them to You before You call me.”

It was from this background that her interest in mentally handicapped adults begin.  She had a brilliant academic record, which would have fetched her the best of salary anywhere in the world.  She did her doctorate in radiation biochemistry from a Japanese University.  Later she did post-doctoral study in Germany.  It was after this that she joined the College.

She started serving the unfortunate ones by forming the ‘Association for Mentally Handicapped Adults’ (AMHA).  It soon started functioning from a small room in the LP School at Puthurkkara, Thrissur.  The mentally handicapped would be brought to the center and taken care of till evening.  With love and care, the visitors soon showed remarkable improvement.  This became the inspiration for her to widen the scope of AMHA.

Now the day care center operates in a rented house at Poonkunnam.  22 persons between 12 and 40 receive love care during daytime there.  Bhanumathy’s salary is the main working capital of the center.

She has an understanding husband in Saleesh, who is now in England.  For Bhanumathy had decided long ago not to have her own children lest her love for the mentally challenged ones get diluted.

 

 

Courtesy: C.A.Krishnan, Kerala Kaumudi, March 3, 2002

Contributed by: Administrator

 

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