The Society for Welfare of the Handicapped, a URI Cooperation Circle, is a shining example of selfless service underpinned by the principles of URI.
A unique institution in Punjab, India, the school serves 225 handicapped children - deaf, blind, and deaf-blind - and is a pioneer in North India in the field of education for children with special needs. It was established on 16th April 1967 and manages the following schools:
- Patiala School for the Blind
- Patiala School for the Deaf
- Patiala School for the Deaf-Blind (for children with multiple disabilities)
These schools provide quality education to children from all over north India including the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. To date, no fees have been charged from the students and everything (education, uniforms, stationery, meals, accommodations, etc.) continues to be free of cost to them.
This institution has been working for 43 years to provide shelter and education to people of all classes and religious affinities to the hearing impaired, mute and the blind. They are running schools for handicapped children, men and women free of cost. A religious counseling program for nonviolent religious interactions through
interfaith dialogue has also been initiated.
The school has held important workshops such as one entitled "Sensitization Workshop To Understand Children With Deaf Blindness” Members of 12 cooperation circles of North India are currently volunteering with the schools and the society for the welfare of the handicapped.
“We believe in serving the humans up to a level they are in peace by mind and soul,” said Ashwani Kumar, leader of Patiala. “For this, we think the chemistry of the body and psychology of the mind should be in a shape that one should be in peace and follow the religion of spirituality."
URI Global Council Chair Kiran Bali extends her heartiest congratulations to our brothers and sisters in the Society for Welfare of the Handicapped CC on the honour that has been bestowed upon them by the State Government of Punjab.
“This is an exceptional achievement,” said Kiran. “What is most remarkable is the selfless service that is implemented to promote care and compassion across boundaries. By empowering deaf and blind children to develop their capacity to the best of their ability, they are able to reach an optimum level of active participation as effective citizens. It is clear that the active implementation of URI principles form the foundation of the work at the Society for Welfare of the Handicapped. We are so proud of your work and that you are a part of the URI family."
