DEEPTI
NIVAS
(EXPERIENCE OF A PARENT)
Tamasoma
Jyotirgamaya
R. S. Rajagopal Rao, A proud parent
‘Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya’ meaning
‘From Darkness towards Light’, is what
is happening at Deepthi Nivas Training
and Rehabilitation center, Kalenahally.
Every night, my younger son, Kirthy
Kalyan, 26 year old Downs’ Syndrome
boy asks a question without fail.
‘Tomorrow there is work. Is not it?’. He
will go to sleep only when he is told in
the affirmative. Every morning, he gets
up early and after finishing morning
chores, will be ready by 8.00 a.m. to be
dropped at Asha Sadan School where
he boards the school bus to Deepti
Nivas, Kalenahally. Every Saturday, in
the evening he announces at home ‘Tomorrow
is holiday’. A day in the first week of every month
is his sambla- salary day. He devoutly gets into
pooja room, places the money there, offers
salutations to Almighty and then proceeds to his
mother heralding his proud earnings and then
immediately inserts ‘his’ money into his savings
chest. He never even vocally shares his money
with others. All this may sound childish blabber,
but to us parents, this is Hope, Light and Peace.
He has moderate cognitive skills. We had
considered him to be a hopeless burden to be
suffered till our demise. His ea ɱ