A BRIEF HISTORY
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 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 1st 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:
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 Agricultural University, Jorhat and Bambo Mission of India and undertook the following skill development projects over and above the normal academic activities:
Although the above projects were selected for the person with disabilities yet to make it economically viable the appropriate authority has decided to make it inclusive program so that the other local people also can be benefited. Accordingly, the institute has arranged several training camp on goat rearing project under the sponsorship of Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat and ornaments making training program under Bamboo Mission of India to train up the local youth specially the youth with disabilities.
The institute also initiated some innovative projects to attract the children for learning the tricks of mathematics and science subjects through some application methods hiring some expert from different parts of India. Tremendous response have been received during the time of training period even over crowded by the students coming from long distance. Hence the board of directors decided to increase the activities and enhance the subject to include the tricks of learning the grammar & spelling.
On the other hand the institute has continued its research activities with the help of other Universities and IITs of India. The research journal (JIIRDDA) also published annually and last year the research council has applied to UGC to enlist JIIRDDA in the UGC-CARE list as it has already received the international standard. The annual journal “DEBANGA BHARATI” also continued its publication with good record and this year it is going to release its 10 Volume.
Although the institute has already appointed professionally experienced Faculty Members as per UGC norms and guidelines of the affiliating university. The Institute also engaged some other technical Staff to manage their classes and staying at hostels with special needs of the students. But due to non-availability of residential facility all the above academic activities were kept in abeyance till the required arrangements is made.
Now, the institute are in need of sufficient residential facilities to accommodate the student coming from different parts of India. And due to lake of this facilities the authority initiate to accommodate local students under 14 years.
Presently, the institute has started its academic activities though the local people to suit the needs and viability of the projects. Keeping on record of the present scenario the board of directors constitute one local committee to manage the day to day activities with most of the local retired teacher and social workers. Over and above one SMC (school management committee) also constituted as per rule of the government of Assam. Mr Khagen Kalita and Mr Diganta Kalita was designated as the President & Secretary respectively of the local committee.
Presently, Mr Sani Ram Boro a retired teacher and social worker with having good organising capacity is looking after all the administrative work as the Assit. Director of the institute. However, above all the committee Mr Bipin Ch. Keot a well-known social worker and a respectable person of the region has rendering his valuable services towards the institute as the Chief Advisor. He took it as a challenge of his life to serve the society through rendering his services to the students with disabilities whole heartedly on humanitarian ground. The iirdda authority acknowledge his services with deep sense of gratitude and regards.