A VISIT TO THE EARLY INTERVENTION CENTER

I work as a website coordinator and drama teacher at the Latika Roy Foundation. It is a resource centre for people with special needs. We have several projects like the Early Intervention Centre, the Karuna Vihar School for children with special needs, the College of Vocational Training for young adults with special needs, The awareness campaign, the resource centre (where i work!), the training centre and finally Latika Vihar an after school activity centre where i teach theatre. The article below is what i had written for our website when i first visited the Early Intervention Centre which was in St. Joseph's Academy at St Joseph's Academy. It is no longer there as the new management thought it had 'better' use of the space we occupied. I was quite annoyed at the news initially because LRF had a long and good association with them but then all's well that ends well. We found a pretty little place and I will be visiting it soon. Will put up those photographs as well. The children are absolutely adorable and you should make a trip down to Dehradun and come visit them.

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Visiting the Early Intervention Center for the first time, I did not know what to expect. I knew that the Early Intervention Center is for young children with multiple disabilities and that the children and their parents come here to be trained by therapists, physicians and educators to help the children achieve their full potential. I had read all about it, but, the actual power of this place was something I wasn’t really prepared for.
Speaking just of the building itself, there is nothing intrusive or grand about it yet something makes you sit up and take notice. The moment you enter the gates, you feel a certain energy that is prevalent all around and of course the one thing you can not afford to miss is the amazing artwork that is all over the wall. A personal suggestion, stop and have a look, trust me it’s worth it!
After you admire the artwork and swing a little, its time to meet our resident doctor and a core member of the foundation, Dr Sebastian. The first thing you will notice about him is the ready smile and his calm demeanor, and then of course his Hindi! He can give a complex to any one of his with his fluent Hindi; in fact sometimes he is so particular about using the correct word that you may need a dictionary to understand him! The most important thing of course is his connection with the children; he is an absolute marvel with them. Leaving him to his work I decided to stroll a bit.
On the other end of the building is what I call the “Happy Room”, the moment you enter you smile. The huge rainbow with a colourful board under it makes you feel like you are in Wonderland. The energy here was difficult to ignore, there were special therapists and educators working with some children while others were running around playing. The children were having so much fun that for a moment I forgot what I was there for; I was just a little girl ready to play. But I was on a mission, I really thought it would be difficult to photograph this energetic bunch of kids, but was I in for a surprise! The instant the camera came out I had the world’s best models ready with their poses! Of course the one thing that I had to look for here was the box of balls that Jo had mentioned in her blog. This young lady here showed me the true magic of the box! All I can say is that, it is, as much fun as it seems.
Yes, I knew what the Early Intervention Center is, but what it truly is, and what it truly does was something that I experienced then and I still carry that with me, today. It is not just a center where experienced therapists, physicians and educators come together to help children in a mechanical way to achieve their full potential, it is a place where you see the true joy of learning, of having fun, of being a child with dreams no different from another, that is what the EIC really is; A place that embraces you for who you are and lets you grow, the way you want.

Birthday Wishes

Its Kanchan's Birthday!

Kanchan at Turkey - fat fat chubby chubby!!!

Like all siblings there are a lot of memories (good & bad) that we have shared over the years. There is one memory that has stayed and I can still see it clearly.

Kanchan and I went to the same school (Welham Girls' School, Dehradun), she was 4 years my senior in school.

Us at our school's 50th Founders

We used to walk it to school often since we lived in Welham Boys' which is just across the street (better known as the School across the LOC).

The memory is of one of those days.

We were running late and she was walking in front while I was strolling at my own pace behind her. She kept telling me to hurry up, she was really annoyed. She told me if you don't hurry up ill leave you and go to school, you can keep walking in the park.

I could not catch up with her, she was much faster. I was scared that she would leave me and go.

There is a curve just before we hit the Welham Girls' boundary and I lost her there.

I remember thinking "She has left me" and how I would tell mom that my sister deserted me (I was always a drama queen!).

And then I heard her shouting, "Neha will you hurry up ya, cant you see we are late". She was standing at the gate, She had not deserted me.

She never has.
Thanks for always being around you fat bum! Whether as a big bully (don't deny it, you beat me up as a child) or as my confidant (all the broken hearts and bitching sessions) you have always been around.

I love You, You Bum!!!

Us on my birthday party(H'IC'APPY)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KACHU!

Feeling Lost

I am feeling a little lost today.

I dont know what it is that is bothering me but something seems amiss. There seems to be a certain emptyness that is crying out to me to do something. I wish I knew how to tackle that or what the emptyness is about.

On the surface everything in my life seems complete, but something deep down is not right.

Maybe I want to know what is the purpose of my life. Or maybe its something as simple as whether my purpose to shift to dun is being fulfilled or not. I had come to dun with a set agenda, but somewhere that aganda has taken a back seat. I had left my life in delhi for a reason and I was happy to shift. But since the reason seems unfulfilled so am I.

I need to do something to get back to that agenda, that reason for my shifting to dun, I need to be honest and get down to what I came here for.

I need to get cracking, NOW.

Paying Tribute

The world has lost two great artists.

Michael Jackson & Habib Tanvir, were much loved and well acclaimed entertainers in their respective fields. You will be greatly missed.

Habib Tanvir was an actor, a theatre director, poet and a well known Hindi playwright, his plays like Charandas Chor, Agra Bazaar, Shantraj ke Mohre, Ponga Pandit etc are well acclaimed and much performed all over the world. As someone who has read his work & acting in plays written by him and is passionate about theatre, I can say without doubt that India has lost a gem, his loss is truly irreplaceable.

Leaving all the personal and legal hassles aside, Michael Jackson was and will truly remain a legend in the arena of music. He gave 40 years to music and has creating some of the best songs in the world. He was a true artist who was always ready to better his last performance.

Through your songs you will live forever.

May god bless your souls. Your work makes you immortal

R.I.P

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There comes a time

When we heed a certain call

When the world must come together as one

There are people dying

And it's time to lend a hand to life

The greatest gift of all

We can't go on

Pretending day by day

That someone, somewhere will soon make a change

We are all a part of God's great big family

And the truth, you know love is all we need

[Chorus]

We are the world

We are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day

So let's start giving

There's a choice we're making

We're saving our own lives

It's true we'll make a better day

Just you and me

Send them your heart

So they'll know that someone cares

And their lives will be stronger and free

As God has shown us by turning stone to bread

So we all must lend a helping hand

[Chorus]

When you're down and out

There seems no hope at all

But if you just believe

There's no way we can fall

Well, well, well, well, let us realize

That a change will only come

When we stand together as one

[Chorus]

THIS IS HOW WE DO IT part II

DESI GIRL CONTINUES.....

That is our audience, now I know they were enjoying the show!!!
SONG NO 3 AYE PAPPI

SONG NO 2 MOVE YOUR BODY

Now there is a little story behind this song, the girls wanted to do steps that were similar to what they call'boy steps' because they wanted to do a guy dance, unhe dikhane ke liye...and the girls were awesome..GO GIRL POWER

SONG NO 1 YEH DOORIYAN

These boys- Ajay, Dilip & Sandeep are a talented bunch...head spins, break dancing and all those stunts are a piece of cake for them!!!

infact, We currently sent them to Smilin Souls Summer Camp & they are getting trained by Bollywood Choreographer Umesh.

Performance: Sunday, 12th June at Tussat Function Institute

will update soon

Well this brings me to the end of this performance. But wait there will be more...LOTS MORE.... not just about Latika Vihar but anything and everythin

THIS IS HOW WE DO IT!!!

This is how we do it at Latika Vihar....

This is Ajay... No I didn't teach him this but I am trying to learn it from him!

This is us practicing for our dance performance! I have stars who know when to smile for the camera! The one with the red cap is me!

Taking a break - MUSICAL CHAIRS!

Learning from Nanaji!

This is what the kids made in pottery, bamboo making etc!!! nice na?

The Bat-Hat made during Art & Craft!

The audience waiting for the play!

Anukta, an absolutely wonderful volunteer and an equally brilliant anchor for

LATIKA VIHAR KE BOLLYWOOD TOP FIVE

Song No 5 Pappu cant Dance

Our next performer, Prachi needed a little help

Song No 4 Desi Girl

BAKI EK CHOTE SE BREAK KE BAAD.......

Catching Up

The only reason I have not written for a while is that I was in Delhi for a week as mom had an operation. Man I was a nervous wreck, not like I showed to anyone but it’s easy to figure out if you know me well enough. I am cranky, snappy and all the more weird, so that means tons of arguments about absolutely nothing with people around me and guess who was around me that time? MY MOM!!! So well we both had a bad time but once the operation was done and over with and ma's crazy, almost toothless smile came back things were back to normal.

She is in Delhi with sis and bro and bro in law and I’m here alone in Dun. I have never been alone in dun, so it’s a little weird. I am not entirely alone, I am staying with a Pri but being in Dun and no mom is weird, I think I had become used to her constant chatter and complaints!!

Back at work, I work with the Latika Roy Foundation, a resource place for people with disabilities; they have several projects that cater to ages 0 to 21. I am with the resource centre, writing articles for the blog and the site, or let’s say trying to write articles! Besides that I also work in the Latika Vihar fun centre, yeah baby fun centre!!! I have a blast! I know I am meant to be working there, I am meant to be teaching but it’s not called a fun centre without reason.
I love my time there, being with kids and teaching theatre and dancing with them just gives me a major high. Maybe it’s in my blood, after all my parents were both teachers and refused to be anything but teachers!

There is so much to learn from kids, there is this misbelieve that we teach them but I think somewhere down the line they teach us. The whole concept of real innocent laughter that I had lost somewhere, they gave it back to me. Having fun with whatever is available, the joy of running around, playing hide seek everything, and they make you forget all your issues and problems because they give me new ones!! Everyday! The moment I enter I hear a hi didi from kids, the best bit is that they are truly accepting as long as I am ready to dance and make them scream!

I have worked as an anchor, a part time govt. employee, an HR executive, an event manager and I have loved all my roles, all my jobs and all my workplaces. I loved the glamour and fame (whatever little), the intellectual conversations, the buzz and madness of events....

I love and hate things easily and equally.

This blog sounds like random chatter and that's exactly what it is, a note to catch up on what has happened since and tid bits I missed out... I mean this is about me so it will be random and sometimes extremely senseless, that’s the whole point. It’s a reflection of who I am. Ok so that means we have an addition to my first blog -

I am a talkative 20 something Indian girl who is stubborn and aggressive, who is also extremely considerate, amiable, loves children, her family, theatre, politics, books and her small beautiful town in the foothills of the Himalaya. Who is also random and senseless but the one thing remains unchanged I am in a twisted sense extremely satisfied with life. Twisted because everyday I want more, more to love, more to read, more to do, more to live. Satisfied because I usually end up getting more and if I don’t I still smile. This and more is me. Confused? So am I!!!!