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Indian Institute of Research and Development for Differently Abled (IIRDDA), is basically a Research and Educational Institution. It was established in the year of 2013 by some of the renowned educationalist of NE India like Prof HL Duorah Former Vice Chancellor, Gauhati University, Prof Atul Sarma, Former Vice Chancellor, Rajib Gandhi University, Prof Jatin Kalita, Former Dean Faculty of Science, Gauhati University etc. by constituting a Charitable Trust to work for the Persons with Disabilities.
The institution is permitted by the government of Assam, Department of Education (BTR), Kokrajhar up to Higher Secondary level and affiliated to Gauhati University up to degree level. A high level Research committee constituted as per UGC guidelines are looking after the research wing and the publications were released under the rules of ISSN. Presently, the Research Journal is in the pipeline to be considered under the UGC-CARE listed journal.
The institute is registered by the Govt. of Assam under the provisions of the Persons with Disability Act, 1995, certified by Income Tax department, Government of India under the provisions of 12 AA. It has also been granted the Trade Licence by the BTR Government for the Persons with Disabilities. Presently, the Institute is executing the following activities:
A three member’s advisory board is guiding the institute with Prof H.L. Duorah, Former V.C., GU, Prof Atul Sarma, Former VC, RGU, and Prof Jatin Kalita, Dean Faculty of Science, Gauhati University. The resolutions or advises were carried out to the Board of Directors for implementation as the supreme executing authority. The institution is also planning to create the following rehabilitation facilities under its umbrella:
Previously, the institute was running its activities in some rented house at Guwahati due to lake of its own land. But with the help of the students, guardians and local youths the administration of Baksa presently Tamulpur District has allotted a plot of government land and now the institute has transferred to its own plot of land at Tamulpur District.
The institute has already appointed professionally experienced well trained faculty members and other technical staff to manage various activities of this kind of special students as per UGC norms and government guidelines. The institute has organised the International Day for the Person with Disabilities: 2022 with two days colourful program centrally for the entire BTR on 2 & 3 Dec. 2021 with the presence Hon’ble Chief BTR along with other dignitaries and signed one MoU to work together for the development of the Persons with Disabilities of the BTR along with the entire region.
A BRIEF HISTORY1. It was a great day to have one family meet to celebrate the Rangali Bihu on 13 April, 2013 at Jalukbari with all the family members of the Managing Trustee. Mr Kishor Mohan Bhattacharyyee a newly appointed blind young faculty members of Gauhati University was invited as a special guest on the occasion. On that family meet some question arises among the participant family members that how a blind person can successfully completed his Master Degree with such a bright carrier? Why the authority has appointed him as Assistant Professor of the University? Now, how he will perform his duty? etc. etc. And after fruitful discussion the meeting resolved to constitute a committee with some learned academicians like VC- Gauhati University, VC-Tezpur University, VC-Arunachal University, Director-IITG etc. to represent the entire North East India to carry out the research study on the matter of various issues of differently abled people seriously. The meeting also resolved to register one trust deed on the issue and the whole expenditure will be borne by the family members till the concerned authority come forward to took over the same for the benefit of the society. After few months of the family meet the Trust Deed was registered with the help of the voluntary donation of the Head of the Family Late Subhepriya Barman and the Managing Trustee observing all the legal formalities in the court of law. On completion of the legal formalities Dr. Hiralal Duorah, the then Vice Chancellor, Gauhati University took over the oath as the founder Chairman of the Board of Directors of the newly established academic and research institute namely “Indian Institute of Research and Development for Differently Abled” and constitute the 5 (Five) members Board of Directors with Dr Nilamani Bora-Secy, University Classes, Gauhati University, Dr Jatin Kalita-Dean, Faculty of Science, Gauhati University, Dr Athiqul Haque Laskar NATO Commandant resident of USA and Dr Ramani Barman, Managing Trustee was appointed as the Managing Director under the provision of the trust deed Dr N.K. Choudhury former VC Gauhati University, Dr. Atul Sarma, the then VC Rajib Gandhi University Arunachal and Sri Kanaksen Deka Former President Assam Sahity Sobha were came forward to share their views on future planning of the institute as advisor under the provision of the Trust deed. The Managing Trustee was already associated with various organisations and academic institutions and working for the people who are excluded from the society due to various societal norms or due to their various kinds of disabilities like: Guwahati Blind School-Basistha, BD Deaf & Dumb School-Kahilipara, Assam Sishu Kalyan.
2. Sadan (Sishihu Griha)-Sundarbari, Assam Gaon Kalyan Bastra Udyogik Prakalpa (destitute home)- Padumbari, Saraswati Bagdhani (Deaf School)-Noonmat, Topoban (Sishu Griha for the children with disabilities)-Pathsala, Sishu Sarathi-Guwahati, Amar Ghar (Old age Home) etc. since his childhood. The initial activities and research work on various issues of the people with disabilities were published in various newspaper, periodical, research journal, popular journal etc with their practical experiences. And the Managing Trustee started delivered lectures in various academic institutions, like: Schools, Colleges, Universities and IITs for making awareness among the students, teachers, research scholars and other academicians relating various issues of the students with disabilities. At the same time on fulfilment of the required norms of UGC and observing the importance of the institution for development of the society the Gauhati University has granted its affiliation to start the BDE (Bachelor of Disability Empowerment) course from the academic session 2015. Accordingly the authority admitted 10 student in the 1 st Semister for the academic session 2015-16. The institute also initiate HS Courses on vocational courses and admitted 24 students for the academic session 2015-16 and on successful completion of both the courses and observing good academic performance the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council also granted its permission for continuing the same. The institute also constitute the Research Council with some of the selected faculty from different Colleges, Universities and IIT’s of India and applied for granting the ISSN Number. In the same year the concerned authority has kind enough to issue the ISSN No-2454-9754 to the institute with the permission to publish the research work. Accordingly, since then the institute has arrange several National in various institute of higher education in India and publish the Research Journal JIIRDDA with ISSN 2454-9754 regularly. On the other hand due to non-availability of printed documents in local language on various issues of the persons with disabilities in the market for the use of parents, teachers and other interested volunteers the board of directors decided to publish important write up through the annual journal of the institute named “DEBANGA BHARATI” Although the institute has started its functioning on several issues but it initiates it’s functioning with the following activities formally since 2015 only after receiving the Registration Certificate under PWD Act-1995, Affiliation from Gauhati University, and Permission from Assam Higher Secondary Education Council and ISSN No from the concerned authority:
3. ACTIVITIES:Initially all the activities were administered from Gauhati University as its Head Office using some rented house for conducting the degree and HS Classes. But on the occasion of the International Day for the People with Disabilities held in Phanidhar Dutta Seminar Hall in presence of Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya the then His Excellency the Governor of Assam, Late Tarun Gogoi, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam, Sri Sarat Kr Barkataky, Hon’ble Minister of Education, Mr P.K. Pincha, IAS Chief Secretary, Department of Disability, Govt, of India, Prof H.L. Duorah, Former VC & Chairman-iirdda, Dr Mridul Hazarika, VC, Gauhati University, Dr Atul Sarma, Member Twelft Finance Commission and many more Vice Chancellors and other dignitaries on 3 December, 2015 Sri Kamini Kalita, President, Sri Sri Lankeswar Dham has kind enough to announced to grant the required Land for the Institute in their own premises. Accordingly the temporary construction was initiated with the help of Gauhati University, well-wishers and donations from the Local People to run the classes of both the courses and also the other research activities of the institute. However, the institute faced various issues due to non-availability of registered documents of the land in the name of the institute. Incidentally, on the event of the International Day for the People with Disabilities held in the year of 2019 Sri Pramod Boro, the Hon’ble Chief, BTR Government has assured to provide the required land to the institute with necessary legal documents. Accordingly, the board of directors resolved to shift the campus immediately from Guwahati to Baksa district of Assam under the purview of the BTR Administration. The BTR Administration has initially allotted 67 Bighas of Government land of which 35 Bighas of land with legal documents. They also started construction work for accommodating academic activities and residential facilities but due to non-availability of sufficient residential facilities to continue the degree and HS courses for the students with disabilities the board of directors compelled to stop the admission of degree and HS students from the academic session 2020 till sufficient residential facilities are created in the campus. Therefore the board of directors took some major changes to suit the necessities and suitability of the local people and make necessary agreement with the Assam