Tamana is a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

voluntary organization registered during 1984 in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

, consisting of three special education centers, a training cell and a research center to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The organization's work is recognized by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment,

Government of India The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...

, Government of Delhi,

Rehabilitation Council of India The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) is the apex government body, set up under an Act of Parliament, to regulate training programmes and courses targeted at disabled, disadvantaged, and special education requirement communities. It is the onl ...

and is registered with the

National Trust The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...

. Tamana also has a Special Consultative Status within the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 2005. The organization’s founder, Dr. Shayama Chona, was awarded the Padmashree, a

Padmabhushan The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished service o ...

and two national awards for her contributions in the disability sector in India.

Aim and vision

Tamana offers an individual educational program for every student, aimed at social and economic independence, which incorporates special education, a regular academic program through the NIOS, therapeutic interventions and vocational training. Each Centre of Tamana offers speech,

occupational therapy Occupational therapy (OT) is a global healthcare profession. It involves the use of assessment and intervention to develop, recover, or maintain the meaningful activities, or ''occupations'', of individuals, groups, or communities. The field of ...

and

physiotherapy Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is one of the allied health professions. It is provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through physical examination, diagnosis, management, prognosis, patient ...

, life skills training,

computer education A computer is a machine that can be programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (computation) automatically. Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic sets of operations known as programs. These program ...

music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...

and

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

weight management Weight management includes the techniques and physiological processes that contribute to a person's ability to attain and maintain a certain weight. Most weight management techniques encompass long-term lifestyle strategies that promote healthy ...

and

physical fitness Physical fitness is a state of health and well-being and, more specifically, the ability to perform aspects of Outline of sports, sports, occupations and daily activities. Physical fitness is generally achieved through proper nutrition, moderate ...

sports Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, th ...

and extracurricular activities,

counseling Counseling is the professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes. This is a list of co ...

behaviour modification Behavior modification is an early approach that used respondent and operant conditioning to change behavior. Based on methodological behaviorism, overt behavior was modified with consequences, including positive and negative reinforcement continge ...

diagnostics Diagnosis is the identification of the nature and cause of a certain phenomenon. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines, with variations in the use of logic, analytics, and experience, to determine "cause and effect". In systems engineer ...

and assessment facilities, and family counseling. Under the cherished dream of seeing each child become an independent adult, the aims of the organization include

• Providing therapy and counseling to children and their families. • Maintaining a motivated, dedicated and quality conscious team of professionals. • Contributing to the training and development of manpower in the field of special education. • Providing legal advocacy services. • Introducing relevant technology to enhance the effectiveness of special education. • Conducting research in key areas of special education and training. • Creating and enhancing greater public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with special needs. • Networking with organizations worldwide.

Special Schools

Tamana Special School

The first branch of Tamana, the Tamana Special School, was inaugurated by the late

Lady Diana Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...

, the

Princess of Wales Princess of Wales (Welsh: ''Tywysoges Cymru'') is a courtesy title used since the 14th century by the wife of the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. The current title-holder is Catherine (née Middleton). The title was firs ...

, on 12 February 1992 and the foundation stone was laid by the then High Commissioner of Britain, Sir David Goodall. The Special School caters to the individual needs of 115 children coming from all strata of the society, ranging in age from 4 to 17. This school focuses on overall development of the child, depending on needs as well as potential. Functional academics are imparted with parallel intervention with allied therapies depending on the needs of the child. The regular school curriculum is a vital reference point for students who have potential to be included in a regular classroom or join the open school program.

Nai Disha Vocational Center

With the realization that the young adults at Tamana have to be equipped with skills to adapt appropriately to the needs of adulthood and thereby function as an independent whole, physically and emotionally, Nai Disha was conceived. The program aims to create an infrastructure which ensures a smooth graduation from school to the outside world, for the young adult and the family. It also aims to ensure training and placements of young adults in various vocations and organizations. Major skills targeted include: * Textiles printing * Office skill management * Paper bag and envelope making * Paper recycling * Clay modeling * Baking * File making * Candle making * Basic home management skills of cooking and baking * Computer skills training * Stationery production - making greeting cards, envelopes, writing pads, file folders * Gardening * Beauty culture * Tailoring

Tamana School of Hope

Tamana was the first institution in India to recognize

autism The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) characterized by difficulti ...

as a disability distinct from others and to start programs for autistic spectrum disorder in 1985. The Autism Center - School of Hope is India's first rehabilitation and research center for autistic individuals, providing holistic services under one roof – a special school, sensory integration clinic, early intervention center, diagnostic center, research cell and outreach cell. His Excellency Dr.

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (; 15 October 193127 July 2015) was an Indian aerospace scientist and statesman who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. He was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu and studied phy ...

, former

president of India The president of India ( IAST: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces. Droupadi Murmu ...

, inaugurated the School of Hope, a full-fledged school dedicated to children with autism, on 19 August 2003. The highlights of the program offered are: * A life centered approach to curriculum planning to meet the needs of child and family * Approaches on which intervention for the autistic is based are

TEACCH The University of North Carolina TEACCH Autism Program creates and disseminates community-based services, training programs, and research for individuals of all ages and skill levels with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), to enhance the quality of l ...

and ABA (with small groups of students) * Sensory integration therapy * Computers with latest software are regularly used for overall development of the students * Music and dance therapy * Yoga and sports * The students are taught to make beds, arrange clothes in cupboards, personal grooming, washing clothes, cooking * Vocational training for youth above 16 years of age, including jewelry design, greeting card making and gardening

Teacher Training Cell

Tamana has been recognized as a special study center by the

and IGNOU since 1994. The courses offered are: * Post Graduate Professional Diploma in Special Education * Post Graduate Professional certificate in Special Education * B.Ed. in Special Education * D.Ed. SE Diploma in Education Special Education (ASD - Autism Spectrum Disorders)

Research

Tamana, in collaboration with Deakin University,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, launched TOBY (Therapy Outcomes by You) Playpad Laboratory on 5 July 2013 at its Autism Center, School of Hope. TOBY is an

iPad The iPad is a brand of iOS and iPadOS-based tablet computers that are developed by Apple Inc. The iPad was conceived before the related iPhone but the iPhone was developed and released first. Speculation about the development, operating s ...

-based, therapist-and-parent application for early intervention therapy with children with autism. In association with Deakin University,

for TOBY, Tamana won the Victorian International Education Award for Excellence in International Education – Research Engagement in 2013.

Fundraising

Tamana organizes annual fashion shows as part of its fundraising. Leading fashion designers of the country have participated in the show, including Manish Arora, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Ritu Kumar, Suneet Varma, Mira and Muzzaffar Ali, J.J. Vallaya, Satya Paul, Abhishek Gupta and Nandita Basu, Namrata Joshipura,

Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna Rohit (Devanagri: रोहित), ) is a given name, typically male, used among Indian people. It is also used in some parts of Nepal. It is mostly used by Jains, Hindus, and Sikhs. The word "rohit" signifies the color red. It is derived from ...

. Students from the Tamana Special Schools walk the ramp hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder with the professional models. The objective of the event is to create and ensure public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with special needs. Tamana organizes its annual winter carnival for showcasing the products developed by the students with special needs and for providing a platform to market them. The aim of the event is to create awareness about the disabled and to promote their social integration.

Honours, awards and recognition

* Tamana was given the National Award for Best Institution for Child Welfare by Department of Women and Child Development, Government of India. The award was presented by Hon'ble Minister for Women and Child Development Mrs Krishna Tirath on 23 January in her office at Shastri Bhawan. * The first Mother Teresa Award (Nov. 1997) was presented to Tamana Special School for its dedicated services to the mentally impaired. * Dr. Shyama Chona, President of Tamana, received the National Award for the Welfare Of People With Disabilities for the year 1997. It was an appreciation of years of struggle in the field of disability at a personal and institutional level for her. * NGO in Special Consultative Status with United Nations' Economic and Social Council, 2005. * National Award for Best Institution for Child Welfare 2006 from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India. * Award for the Most Innovative Project Implementation in 2007 presented at the round table organised on Global Partnerships In Poverty Eradication and Health Care, organised as part of annual ministerial review innovation fair (Asia) - an initiative of NGO DESA - United Nations Economic and Social Council and Mumbai Educational Trust.

References

External links

Official Website

Heartspring, US

National Autistic Society, UK

Tamana Research

Tamana and Princess Diana
{{Pervasive developmental disorders Autism-related organisations in India Organizations established in 1984 Disability organisations based in India Organisations based in Delhi Schools in Delhi Special schools in India