COLLEGE PROFESSOR WHO RUNS DAY-CARE CENTRE FOR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED
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| 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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