The lady who made a difference in the lives of the little angels
“The most interesting people you will find are the ones that don’t fit into your average cardboard box. They’ll make what they need, they’ll make their own boxes” said Dr.Temple Grandin, the world-renowned autism spokesperson. The unique sense of people sometimes brings in social changes. One such person from Kolkata is Mrs. Nupur Mukherjee who decided to bring about a change in the lives of autistic people through her contribution of dance therapies and counseling. She decided to make hundreds of special children smile in the city of joy.
Many people talk, write and spread awareness about things happening around, but very few people take a step forward and selflessly help them to lead a better, independent and a conventional life. Nupur Mukherjee a science graduate with honors got her kathak dance training from Pandit Birju Maharaj and later was trained in Odissi dance from Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra. She has an experience in choreographing several TV shows, Mainly in Doordarshan. She became a dance teacher by profession and has opened her own dance training institution known as “Tulir Taney”, in 1994. Though started with 3 students and now her institution has mushroomed and she is training more than 400 students in different dance forms of dances like odissi, kathak, and Rabindranitya. Painting, crafting, classical music etc are also given some other areas where students are trained.
In the year 2000, Mrs Mukharjee joined Manavikas kendra a school for special children as a dance therapist. Later on she started to conducting classes for these students separately in her own institution Tulir Taney. On weekdays special classes are conducted where autistic and differently abled children are given dance, art and musical therapies. These students are also trained along with the other students. This helps bridging the communication gap between the children and spread awareness they should be treated the same. It helps all the children grow a sense of acceptability in them and creates an environment that is quite obscure at different institutions of same nature.
Mrs. Mukherjee says “I love the whole world and these children are an integral part of it, my life is empty without them. Autism though can’t be cured completely can be controlled and disciplined, with some effort. We just need to tune them to get adapted, they need love and support.” she said. “We are all disabled. In one way or the other. One person can’t do everything perfectly in life. They are just differently abled. They need acceptance and I want the society to understand that, only then they can blossom as an important part of the society. Please accept don’t abandon. Treat them with love care and affection. Nature has chosen you as a mother of this child only because it knows you can.”, she added. She has proved her words indeed by her immense effort to make a perceptible difference in the life of autistic children. Aratrika Mukherjee, 12 years old kid had gone through a speech therapy and has shown immense improvement in her academics. One other student Rounak who refrained from speaking, now don’t hesitate to interact much. Akash a victim of Autism Spectrum Disorder with the help of therapies has learned painting and he is one of the good singers of the institute.
Autism is not a disease but a condition, can’t be cured but can be managed. Though scientific studies say Autism is due to genetic and environmental factors, specifically how it occurs is not well understood. Infection during pregnancy, consumption of alcohol and drugs during pregnancy, stressful lifestyle, negligence during pregnancies, abominable food habits etc are considered as some of the reasons. A child when born with such disabilities is often put down in society and thus families tend to abandon him or her. Many a times their mothers are blamed to be at fault. There are even divorce cases reported. They are often regarded as cursed and get socially isolated. Thus counseling can be the only savior at such times with the help of which a sense of acceptance can be grown in their minds for their children to live happily and with satisfaction. Mrs. Mukherjee has been arranging counseling sessions for such parents and has been spreading awareness in the society.
Autism is diagnosed when a child of 3 to 5 years of age when the child shows symptoms like improper communication, inflexible behaviors, repetitiveness of actions, improper verbal co-ordination etc. Children with autism face problems with non-speech social actions, like eye contact, one to one verbal communication, difficulty in gesture, clarity of speech etc. medical advancement has helped increasing the life span of these people.
Mrs. Mukherjee through her powerful words has made it very clear that responsibility is what is needed to be taken by not only the mother or the parents but together the society. She is trying to reach to the masses to spread the word and as she gives all her time and life into her work she leaves behind smiling families and innocent faces waiting for the world to come together as one.
