Chitra explained that her entire work for ‘special’ children started when she realized her second child had autistic disorder. As a parent to help and develop her child, she started learning and gathering information about autism.  She took her child to Stanford University in the US to be examined.  She gave her speech therapy and subsequently followed up with finding a special school for her in Chennai after great difficulty. Somehow she was not convinced that this was enough so her husband and she enrolled for a short course on autism at the Institute for Achievement of Human Potential (IAHP), Philadelphia, US. Having gained confidence and enough information on the subject, she came back to Chennai. She gathered parents of other ‘special’ children and spread awareness among them. She kept propelling the parents to develop their children and train them to communicate, reciprocate and improve behavioural patterns.

Over a period of time, wanting to utilize all her interest and involvement with such children and also to secure a safe future for her daughter, she started ‘Aathmaseva’ in her own house at Velachery. In the last ten years she has dedicated her life to the development of several children. There is a structured early intervention program for young children so that they get integrated into normal schools. There are other programs for older children and adults. Patterning is a therapy given to the children because the physical exercise in turn helps to stimulate the brain. 

                     

Chitra said “We follow the information and techniques available under Behaviour Modification, Sensory Stimulation, Yoga, Speech therapy, Music therapy, Vocational training, Computer assisted education and others. This is in recognition that there is no single cure. We also address the emotional needs of our children by training them to communicate with us.  Each one of the methods has its place in the treatment and achieves small success in their development. We have trained special educators here for all these different activities. This year, we started a hostel facility for the children during the weekdays and they go home for the weekends.” So much is her care for her children that she personally cooks their lunch everyday.

Chitra continued “I firmly believe that more parents of 'special' children should overcome their own emotional stress and take up proper training in special education so that they can help the lives of their children. Siblings have to be trained to accept ‘special’ ones at home and also become sensitive to their needs, with a sense of responsibility inculcated in them.  Desensetising is a process that we have to do for these children so that they become independent and self reliant. For example, when I want to take my daughter out of town, I always take her to the railway station or airport everyday the previous 3-4 days and keep on explaining to her that we are going to travel which helps her accept it better.  It needs a lot of effort and patience and parents should work towards creating more confidence in their children.”

Chitra, who is extending her love and care for all the children who are brought to Aathmaseva is a strong woman who has resolved not to be bogged down by life’s issues. She has undergone emotional trauma in bringing up her own child but was always determined to do the best she can for her ‘special’ one. Her passion and resolve have been tested when she suffered health hazards, her diabetes even resulting in her leg being amputated, but she bounced back to take charge of herself and her life by finding solutions.

As I just sat in front of her awestruck at her efforts and achievements, she concluded by saying that she always had the whole hearted support of her husband and elder daughter in all her endeavours which strengthened her own impregnable will and conviction. Surely she is a trend setter, a role model and a classic inspiration for all of us to emulate.

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