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Best film - Becky

The story of the little girl Becky, narrated in the form of a rhyme, is very endearing indeed. Becky is pretty, Becky is nice, Becky is wise, she likes all games, but she doesn't play. The East India Company team, which made this animation film, comprises Thiagarajan Kumararaja, Director, E Gopinath, art director and Madhi D, who along with Vidyasagar, designed the short film - 60 second to fame - in the Ability Foundation Cine festival held in July 2005.

The film has three segments. The first part projects Becky as a normal girl with other children. The next segment depicts her in a wheelchair and the final one shows her as someone who thinks, and takes life as any other child. Kumararaja says he was inspired by Town Sawyer's girlfriend and looking for a similar name.

The jury comprising Adoor Gopalakrishna, Nandita Das, Revathy, Jaya Bachchan and Rajiv Menon shortlisted 53 films from the 379 entries received. Kumararaja says that they did not stress on the disability of the protagonist Becky, but brought it out in a lighter and bubbly fashion. It was very simple and straightforward message, which they tried to convey. The simple message is that those with disabilities can and should be accepted into the mainstream.

Gopinath, who created the illustrations, recalls that working, as a team was a nice way to exchange ideas and that they completed the animation film in just three days with a budget of Rs 500.

Kumararaja confesses that initially, it was the Rs one lakh cash prize, which made them give a shot at filmmaking. Madhi says but now they have other plans with Becky. They are planning to send the film for other film festivals. Kumararaja has several things to do like - he is writing the script and dialogue for film, he has given promos for Vijay TV and ad film are his bread and butter. Becky has a voice of Pooja S and the music composed by Vijay Antony.

"Now, Becky being a person with a bundle of talents what do people do with her? Just include." Becky ends on this note and that is what is expected from each of us.

Source: Just include, Indian Express, Chennai, 20 July 2005. I called the film Becky after Tom Sawyer's love interest. Asian Age, New Delhi, 23 July 2005.

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In the World of SMS, do we need to learn to spell?

The oratorical contest for students with Dyslexia and other disabilities related to memory, math and retention power, organised by the Chennai chapter of the Soroptomist International, a non-government organisation for women professionals in management and social work saw students debating the language need .

About thirty children from MAD, Alpha to Omega, Sankalp, V-excel, Saraswathi Kendra, Diksha, SIET Dyslexia Centre and the remedial centre of lady Andal Venkatasubbarao Higher Secondary School, participated in the junior and senior categories.

Mihar and Shireen Greenwood came first and third in the juniors category respectively for their take on Examinations: Can we do away with them completely?" Anoop chandar came second in the category for talking on " In the world of SMS and emails, do I need to learn to spell?"

Among the seniors, Ashwath Nair and N. Padmashree came first and third respectively for the topic: "Should my parents become my friends or should they remain my parents?" Mohammed Imran was second for speaking on " The human teacher: Will virtual classroom render her obsolete?"

Source: Contest for students with learning disabilities, The Hindu, Chennai, 24 July 2005

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Joyce Kane - Blindness is only an inconvenience

Joyce Kane, a visually challenged woman from the United States spoke of her experiences of loosing her eyesight eight years ago after an open-heart surgery. She inspired those who had come to hear her speak with the message that everyone can and should dream.

Kane is a board member of the National Federation of the Blind and its Diabetic Action Network in the US. She believes in independence and syays "Independence is a very important part of the life and I worked a lot to get it back. One day, I walked very fast along the corridor, alone, with no worry of what lay in front of me. From then on, there was no looking back," she said.

Throughout her talk, she emphasized, that the visually challenged should be able to convince the rest of the society that they were capable of doing anything. At the same time, she pointed out the importance of sustained determination and hard work.

"We can do what everyone else does, but it will take a little longer and a different route, but we can accomplish our dreams and hopes," she said emphatically. She hates it when someone says, 'you cannot do that', as she believes that blindness is not a disability, but only an inconvenience.

"Keep knocking as many doors you can for job opportunities," she said. " I have seen the sun rise. I have even seen Mickey Mouse. I have seen a lot of things for 46 years and no one can take these visions away from me. But I could not see my daughter walk down the aisle in her wedding gown nor can I see the smile on my two-year-old grand daughter's face. But I am in a whole new and different world, only eight years old and learning from my other senses," she concluded to thundering applause from the audience.

Source: Vision for the visually challenged, Indian Express, Chennai, 22 July 2005.

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Special lesson by special children to teachers

In our country, it is common to see children being punished in the class for not studying properly. But it is not so common to see a teacher being punished for not teaching properly.

Purulia based Maanbhoom School for Blind, came in news when the blind students of the school locked the school from outside. The message to the teachers was clear: Enter only if you do intend to teach.

The school has 89 students on rolls. The children were protesting against the lackadaisical attitude of the teachers, who, even though one month has passed since the reopening of the schools after the summer breaks, have allegedly not even prepared the time table, let alone start teaching the children.

Post the incident, when contacted, the school principal Ambuj Mehto assured that the problem will be resolved at the earliest.

Source: Padhana nahin to ghar jao masterji. Rashtriya Sahara New Delhi 25 July 2005.

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Master plan - 2021

According to a press statement issued on behalf of the Chief Minister, the Delhi government has agreed that a disability expert on access would be involved at every stage of the planning design and implementation of the master plan.

Delhi plans to consult a disability expert in the planning, design and implementation of its master plan to make the national capital disabled-friendly. The move will be in keeping with the demand of disability activities to make the city disabled-friendly by 2021.

Source: Delhi master plan to be sensitive to disabled, Mid Day, New Delhi, 22 July 2005. Archana Jyoti, Modify plan for disabled: Sheila. Asian Age, New Delhi, 22 July 2005.

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Comfort in the train and station

Northern Railways is all set to provide comfort to handicapped persons as well as senior citizens. Under the proposed revamping of major stations in the northern region, Northern Railways has also kept the needs of disabled in mind. The efforts towards this end include the construction of new railing fitted ramps between platforms. At present ramps exist only at the main entrance and as a result challenged people face real trouble moving from one platform to another. The department also plans to construct special ticket counters and low height taps and toilets. The construction of separate bathrooms and train coaches is also in the offing.

The government plans to spend close to Rs 24 crore towards making the 40 selected stations "ideal". New Delhi railways station will be the first one to be completed where the work is scheduled to be finished by end of October.

Source: Disabled Friendly Stations. The Statesman New Delhi, 21 July 2005.
Viklang Yatriyon ki sudh li Uttar railways nein. Jnasatta, New Delhi 21 July 2005.

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JNU tardy in admission process

Physically disabled students who came to seek admission to the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University had to return disappointed because the University's Health Center was not ready to the assess their disability and had asked the applicants to return in the week beginning August. Most of the candidates were dismayed at this directive as they had come from far-flung towns and cities and had no arrangements for stay in Delhi. JNU officials did not make any temporary provisions for them either.

The university's Health Center is supposed to have a panel of doctors who assess the degree of disability of students applying through the disability quota. "We have to carry out the exercise, because sometimes students turn up with certificates exaggerating the extent of their disability. So we get specialists to verify these cases," said a JNU official.

But the absence of doctors has irked the students some of who come of who come to Delhi from outside areas. "We have take up the matter with the administration and we are hopeful that it will be resolved by August 1st" said JNUSU President, Mona Das.

"Earlier the orthopaedicians were supposed to come between August 1 and 5, but we have asked the administration to ensue that all specialists are present here everyday so that the students are not harassed," she said.

Source: Jawaharlal Nehru University disappoints disabled students, The Tribune, Chandigarh, 23rd July 2005.

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