1 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

1. About ‘Society for Welfare of The Handicapped’

Society for Welfare of The Handicapped (regd.) 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.Right
from the first day to date, no fees has been charged from the students and everything
(education, uniform, stationary, meals, hostel etc.) still continues to be free of cost to them. The
Society is not in receipt of any government grant or aid from any corporate sector.

To date, approximately 900 deaf boys and girls and 400 blind children have passed out from
these schools after class X or class XII. Approximately 90 blind students have done their BA or
MA with the Society’s assistance and are gainfully employed.

2. Mission

• To integrate the deaf and blind children into the mainstream of all activity as respectable
citizens of Indiawith modern and improved models, aids and teaching standards.
• To realize personal independence, economic self-reliance and social inclusion for deaf
and blind children.
• Provide totally free education and hostel to all students in these schools.

3. Vision
Empower deaf and blind children to develop their capacity to the best of their ability to reach an
optimum level of active participation as effective and meaningful citizens of India and to fulfill all
their obligations as individuals.This transformation is aimed both personally and professionally.

4. What does ‘Society for Welfare of The Handicapped’ do?

Patiala School for the Deaf and Patiala School for the Blind run from nursery to class XII.
2 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

These schools are co-educational and residential. They have 175 children, of which 45 are blind
boys and girls and 130 are deaf boys and girls. 140 children are staying in the hostel free
of cost.The Society added yet another feather in its cap when the Patiala School for the
DeafBlind was inaugurated on 26 Jan 2011. We are proud to mention that this is only the
3rd Deaf-Blind School in India. Admissions in all schools are on a first come first serve basis
with preference given to girls, orphans, and children from villages and poor families. Deaf and
blind children from age zero onwards can also be admitted and provided early intervention.

1. Patiala School for the Deaf:

The school envisions total communication being used to teach the deaf children using the latest
available techniques. The staff is well trained in sign language, speech therapy, computers, arts
and crafts, sports, extra-curricular activities and much more.

2. Patiala School for the Blind:

This is the only residential school for blind girls in the state of Punjab. It has the latest
equipment for blind children including “Read IT Wand” which can scan a book, newspaper or
magazine and read it aloud to the blind students. The school also has a big library with all
facilities and a great ambience.We also help blind students to pursue college degrees after
completing class XII. Besides this, the blind children are also put through art, craft and other
vocational training capsules.

3. Patiala School for Deaf-Blind

This is the 3rd deaf-blind school in India for children with multiple disabilities like visual and
hearing Impairment. The class rooms for deafblind children are especially equipped with
sophisticated teaching aids and equipment. The school also has a “PACMATE” so that the deaf-
blind can read books, newspapers, magazines etc. in braille. The teacher to student ratio is one
teacher for every two students and one attendant.
3 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

5. Future Plans
The Society at present has over 2 acres of land. It has built 2 academic blocks with a carpet
area of 36000 sq. ft.and has 48 class rooms. Presently, the hostel is re-appropriated in the
academic block only. It is proposed to increase the capacity of the schools to 300 deaf and 150
blind children with a hostel capacity of 300 children. Hostel will include accommodation for deaf
and blind as under:

# Blind Girls 70
# Blind Boys 30
# Deaf Girls 100
# Deaf Boys 100
TOTAL 300

In the long run we also plan to give 1 year diplomas in vocational trades after class XII. Some of
the proposed trades are candle making, tailoring/embroidery, electrician, mobile repair, welding,
plumber, automobile repair, carpet weaving, photography and video making, pottery, book
binding/ envelope making/ waste paper products, beauty parlor, advanced course in computers,
cooking and baking.

6. Our Immediate Requirements

There is a number of sophisticated equipment and general items needed to improve the
teaching and living standards of deaf and blind children at these schools. These are:

PATIALA SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND

Quantity
Item Name Description
Required
The school urgently needs 6 LCD
computers which should have JAWS
i. LCD Computers 6
operating system installed for the blind
children.
A multi featured text reading machine
SARA
ii. that addresses the reading needs of the 1
(Scanning And Reading Appliance)
blind, low vision and dyslexic persons.
Index Everest Braille Embosser is a
computerized mini braille press with
iii. Index Everest Braille Printer new generation technology that prints 2 1
pages at a time.
4 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

Duxbury Braille Translation

This software translates books from text
iv. Software DBT Win 1
to speech for the blind.

JAWS screen reader supports Indian

JAWS Talking Software in Hindi languages. The software speaks clearly
v. 1
Language in Hindi language.

PATIALA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF

Item Name Quantity

Description
Required
To upgrade the computer classes in an
organized manner, the school urgently
vi. LCD Computers 20
needs 20 LCD computers.

This is used to assess the hearing

Audiometer Machine
vii. capability of the deaf children. 1

This is a wireless system which is fitted

in the class rooms of the deaf. It
FM Group Hearing System for enables the students to tune their
viii. 6
class rooms hearing aids to the system for voice
recognition.

ix. LCD Projector LCD projector for combined classes. 1

A school van is urgently required for
x. School Van conveyance of children who fall sick or 1
any other purpose.

GENERAL ITEMS FOR DAILY USE

Item Name Description

Approximately 150 students and 20 staff members
take their 5 meals in the hostel every day. The
xi. Rations schools needs ample ration for this on a daily basis.
The cash expenditure on meals is Rs.10,000/day.

All items of books and stationary for the deaf and

xii. Books and Stationery blind children

xiii. Toiletry Items The schools have 150 boys and girls staying in the
5 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

hostel, including grown up girls who need special

items.
Provision of linens, bed sheets etc. The schools have 150 boys and girls staying in the
xiv. hostel who need these items every day.
We have no sports infrastructure. We need funds to
develop the following.
• Basketball court
Sports infrastructure • Volleyball court
xv. • Gym
• Two table-tennis tables
• Blind tracks (special tracks for blind
games and recreation)
• Physiotherapy room

7. How you can help?

• Sponsor education of children: Rs.1,500/month/child or Rs.18,000/year/child.
• Donate in cash/kind.
• Provide teaching aids for children as outlined in the table above.
• Share joys and sorrows with deaf and blind children by paying a visit to the schools.
• Spread word about these schools so more people can come forward to help.
6 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

8. Appendix
Contact:

• REGISTERED OFFICE:
SOCIETY FOR WELFARE OF THE HANDICAPPED (REGD.)
AMAR ASHRAM, LOWERMALL
PATIALA - 147001
PUNJAB, INDIA
TEL No.: +91 0175 2301819, +91 97800 43892

• SCHOOL ADDRESS:
SOCIETY FOR WELFARE OF THE HANDICAPPED (REGD.)
VILLAGE SAIFIDIPUR
BEHIND PUNJABI UNIVERSITY
PATIALA - 147001
PUNJAB, INDIA
TEL No.: +91 97800 43892, +91 97800 43893

• Email: info@patialaschool.org
• Website:http://www.patialaschool.org/
• Facebook:www.facebook.com/SocietyForTheWelfareofHandicapped

Registration Details

• Recognized by Government of India and Government of Punjab.

• Registered under The Persons With Disability Act of Government of India 1995.
• Society is registered under the Government of Punjab Societies Act.
• Permanent Income Tax Exemption for donations to Society under Sec 80-G.
• Registered to accept donations in foreign currency under Foreign Contribution
Regulation Act of Government of India.

Donation Process

• Donations in Indian rupees can be credited to:

State Bank of Patiala

Account No. : 55076882917
Branch Code: 50453
IFS Code : STB0000453
7 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

• Donations in any foreign currency can be credited to:

Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

State Bank of Patiala, India
SavingAccount No. : 65001479758
Swift Code : STBPINBB021
MICR code : 147007024

Pictures

• View of the new academic block for the 3 schools

8 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

• Main entrance of the schools’ building

• One of the classrooms with custom made furniture for the children
9 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

• Crafts lesson in progress

• Lunch time in the schools’ mess

10 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

• Some of the children with the schools’ secretary, Col. Karaminder Singh

• Computer class in progress

11 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

• Schools’ library

• Children learning crafts

12 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

• Music lessons in progress

• Children’s crafts for sale during the festival of Diwali

13 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

• Students presenting a mimicry act on the occasion of the schools’ 45th Founder’s Day

• March past by deaf students

14 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

• Senior deaf boys participating in ‘Save your balloons’ game

• Inside of the hostel

15 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

• Republic day celebrations

• Prize distribution on Republic Day function at the schools

16 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

• Little kids ready to present at a school function

• Welcome of schools’ special athletes

17 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

• Schools’ special athletes

• Schools’ special athletes

18 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

• Elderly from the school enjoying a day out

• Children having fun at school

19 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

• Children’s visit to Wagah Border, Amritsar

• Lohri celebration
20 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

• Art & craft class being run by a volunteer from Denmark

• The old and young generation of blind students: The old generation has been living in
the school since 1967 and is now engaged in teaching the younger generation. When
these 3 blind men joined the school 45 years ago, the founder of the Society committed
that they be looked after by the Society as they were orphans. They continue to live in
the hostel since then.
21 Society for Welfare of The Handicapped

• A deaf child learning Punjabi alphabets