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| Mr Anil Kundra |
A
man of substance,
Who
is he?
He
makes do with little,
Or
whatever he thinks he needs.
I
see him with children,
Who
don't get him much,
But
they love him,
Oh,
ever so much!
He
has patience and some more of that,
Some
greatness behind his human form,
And kindness in those bright
eyes.
What makes someone great? Is it
the way he lives his life or the way he wants to do things that one day would
make a difference? For many such dreams remain just a dream and its not long
before one starts to get bogged down with family demands and their own
corporate aspirations.
I see a man, in his late
fifties, changing my perspective about special needs children, once in for all.
Anil Kumar Kundra has decided to follow his path in life. The only man who had
the guts to realise his dreams. Yes, he has a family like everyone else does.
He has beautiful children and a wife yet social service was something that
actually bought him happiness and along the way- contentment. Which is the most
important thing in life than anything else. And why do I say that? Because it's
not just social service I am talking about. It's opening a whole new
perspective of raising an individual with special needs. His residential school
for Autism (Children and Adults) has made lives only better. I had the
opportunity of staying there for quiet some time. And since it was in the
outskirts I had thought that being away from the city would be difficult, that
all i needed was a Mall or some fancy restaurants to be happy.
The routine at Autism Ashram is
unique, keeping the standards high and the service with all the humbleness that
would outshine any institution in the world. The Mess is named in the memory
the child- Shubri who used to study with them but passed away after a tragic
accident when she was home with her parents. The mess has steel utensils to
maintain hygiene with visual instructions that help the children staying become
independent. The in-house cooks are amazing with maintaining the menu where
with meals you get to have snacks in between. They do have a hectic work
schedule and are equally amazing with the children. Mr Kundra is always around,
keeping a vigilant check on what is happening. I have even seen him making a dish
or two, serving the children because I guess he such a genius around
everyone.
Mr Kundra has chosen the
location of Autism Ashram with one goal in mind- to keep oneself close to
nature. The wide array of mango trees really is a pleasure to the eyes. The
rose garden and the Zen Gardens with walking path where children get to develop
their sensory feelings. The swimming pool has been added to give adequate
exercise and play time during summers. And its all to the mastermind of Mr
Kundra. No doubt that Autism Ashram is visually appealing.
He has also planned out the
evening exercise programme where children have to walk for atleast an hour to
keep them from being lazy also builds up a good appetite for the evening
supper. The one to one caretakers being a vital part of the Ashram are like
friends who helps them with their day to day chores.
Mr Kundra himself lives a simple
life. He has a one room cottage with no TV which he shares with his wife Mrs
Jyoshna Kundra- who has an equally admirable persona. She helps him with the
planning of the Ashram and supervises the caretakers, keeping an uptight
string, in case things go out of hand. I really am at awe at how this very
unique residential school for Autism, is such a habitable place to be. To open
such a big place with their own funds, one needs to have a lot of guts. But
what makes you understand them is their belief in themselves.
Note: Autism, not many know what it
is. And you need to. Really, when you see children or adults behaving in an
unusual manner, remember that its you who feels uncomfortable, not them.
Here are a few pictures that will show
you the dedication he has towards making this place a heaven on earth.
Sunrise @ Autism Ashram
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| The team with the students |
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| The Shubri Mess |
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| The entrance |
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| Sunset At Autism Ashram |
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| The accommodations |
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