The exceptional children of Madhuram Narayanan Centre (MNC), all under six years of age, gave a scintillating performance at the Bala Mandir German Hall, Chennai, on December 12, 2002, enacting stories from the Jataka Tales and the Panchatantra Stories. Presented under the theme “Kandukondane Kandukondane”, the children, playing the roles of a chick, lion cub and flock of herons, brought out how one discovers one’s identity and one’s potential.
The parents of the children presented an impressive bamboo dance performance, marked by confidence and pride. The occasion was the 13th Anniversary of the Madhuram Narayanan Centre for Exceptional Children, established on 12th December 1989, to be a model centre to provide early intervention services to children with mental retardation. These services are based on the Upanayan Early Intervention programme developed by Indchem Research and Development Laboratory in 1987-89.
Mrs C K Gariyali, Secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu in the Department of Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal Programme was the Chief Guest. The Sanmar Group Chairman Emeritus K S Narayanan presided over the function.
In his presidential address, ‘KSN’ appreciated the excellent work being done by the Centre not only in providing early intervention services—to over 2000 children so far—but also in training teachers from other special schools and also motivating and professionally supporting a number of organizations to set up schools for children with the disability.
He commended the dedicated services of the teachers at the Centre and Professor P Jeyachandran for his continued professional support to the institution. Mrs Gariyali observed that the parental involvement in the services at the Centre was something unique.
While appreciating the yeoman work being done at the Centre, she urged NGOs to work together dedicating themselves to the cause of such children.
MNC children showing their histrionic skills.
Bamboo dance by some exceptional parents.