Rekindling hopes of differently-abled

We all hit that crossroads in life when we have had a couple of hard times, but not all of us do things like Subhash Gupta to make a difference in others’ lives who have had similar hardships. Subhash, who is visually challenged by birth, runs a hostel for differently-abled. The hostel, named Vikalangula Kalyana Vedika, was started in 2000. It aims to get the differently abled married and now also provides a home for the abandoned in Saroornagar.

Speaking about his inception, Subhash explains, “I was made fun of by my own parents. They didn’t let me study saying that I was blind. I was depressed and realised that the case wasn’t just with me. Many others out there were going through the same phase. This is when I started donating a part of my salary while working as a clerk in Andhra Bank, towards charity. But this too this didn’t satisfy me and I wanted to do more. That’s how Vikalangula Kalyana Vedika was born.”

The organisation not only takes care of children, but also conducts a cricket tournament for the inmates every year. Also, children in the hostel indulge in various productive activities like making agarbattis, perfumes and key chains and generate their pocket money out of it.

There are many success stories from the home. For example Sharada, who is staying in Vikalangula Kalyana Vedika, is pursuing her final year BA in Koti Women’s College. Similarly an inmate Chitamma, who had studied in a blind school till 10th standard and later joined the hostel, is now a telephone operator in Andhra Bank.

“When I started this organisation there were people who supported me in every step. But later everyone quit as the expenditures mounted. Presently I handle everything by myself, and there are friends of mine who sometimes contribute for the betterment of the hostel and the lives of 60 odd people staying here,” says Subhash, who is now a telephone operator in Andhra Bank.

He now plans to build an old age home and start a magazine with the name ‘Udyoga Nestham’, which will give information on job opportunities available in the city.

By:Kavya Chenimilla