aaghavendiyatha paaru

Aaghavendiyatha Paaru was the abiding philosophy in life for Ganga Singararaman after whomthe organisation is named. Simply translated, this Tamil phrase means look ahead.

The deeper meaning is, however, profound. It exhorts people to focus on doing what needsto be done than staying a hostage to the past.

Celebrating 50 years of pioneering workCusp of growth

2013 was the 50th year of the Physical Medicine & RehabilitationDepartment of Christian Medical College (CMC),Vellore since itsinauguration in January 1963 by Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, thenPresident of India. In the inset image, he is with Dr MaryVerghese,the visionary wheelchair-bound doctor and CMC alumnus, whoalso founded India’s first Rehabilitation Centre for persons withspinal cord injury. Wheelchair artists and hearing challengedchildren from Ability Unlimited ensured a special celebration ofPMR 50.We were deeply grateful and privileged to work withCMC Vellore and Ability Unlimited to mark this landmark event.

Stage backdrop by Paul Athisayaraj Joshua

When an idea germinates, it looks small and we appear bigger.Asthe idea takes root, and further develops branches, we would wellbe surprised by how much it can dwarf us.This may be the feelingof those of us associated withThe GangaTrust.

In its third year of activity, the idea and the work of The GangaTrust have spread farther. From an organisation that representedthe power of one, it is now harnessing the strength of networkingand partnerships. Deepening them will stay the key focus. Weenvision that The Ganga Trust will emerge as an Expert SocialNetwork for Rehabilitation.

Towards this goal, several steps were taken in 2013.The work ofrehabilitation towards nurturing livelihood was continued andenlarged to include sports.Anecdotes in this report are illustrativeof work we champion. Our activity with the hearing challengedwas expanded due to Ms. Vidya Bala’s developing role in theexecution team.

Our idea to network to reach more programs and people wassteadfastly continued. We work with 14 organisations nowcompared with eight at the end of 2012. The number ofbeneficiaries reached about 300 in 2013.

Vaidy, a co-founder of The Ganga Trust was actively employed incommercial enterprise till 2012. He is now fully devoted to thecause.Vaidy spent 72 days in Vellore to share his experience withpersons recuperating at the Mary Verghese Institute ofRehabilitation (a part of Christian Medical College).

Our fund mobilisation stays need-focused.We are pleased to haveorganised complete funding for the vocational centre cum get-together hall at the MaryVergheseTrust.Our donors and us preferto wait and get clearance without paying a bribe, a CMCVelloretradition since 1900.

We continue to direct 100% of donor funds to our PartnerPrograms. Our expense ratio was 1.2% (inclusive of depreciation;financed fully by the founders) in 2013 compared with 2.0% in2012; this low cost model is made possible by our volunteers, whowe cannot thank enough. We wish you a Happy, Healthy andPeaceful 2014 and wish for ourselves an ever-increasing reach tospread the word and further the cause.

Suresh KrishnamurthyManagingTrustee

report 2013

Target Rio 2016Steered towards self-employment

He was living for 12 years inside his home. Accessing the worldoutside was a challenge, as the home was way below road level ina congested part of Chennai.The other 13 who had undergonerehabilitation with him had committed suicide. An unscrupulousdoctor in a stem-cell trial program exploited him withoutexplaining the risks. His blessing was a caring younger brotherdespite stiff financial challenges.Thanks to the second Spinal CareIndia meet in Chennai in 2012 and networking by Suresh Krishna,an amazing friend for persons with spinal cord injury, Manoharanemerged with support to reach the venue and the outside world.The team of SocialWorkers of CMCVellore motivated him to joinvocational training at Mary Verghese Trust. An eight-month stintwas an eye-opener in independent living for Manoharan. Today heekes out an income with tailoring using word of mouth to reachout to customers. We are pleased to have contributed our miteto his life after hibernation.

Nathiya is a young girl from a small village, Pusimalai Kuppam nearArni, in Tamil Nadu. She completed plus two after a spinal cordinjury and underwent basic training in computers atWORTHTrust,Katpadi, Even as she learnt, constant sitting without necessaryprecautions led to a major pressure sore that needed surgicalintervention at CMC, Vellore. Following her recovery,Nathiya was

offered a nine-month(November 2012 to July2013) assignment to developher skills. In the process, shealso helped update a 21-yeardatabase of information aboutspinal cord injured persons.She has subsequently spent sixmonths in her village, exploringonline work opportunities andzeroed in on options to earn adecent income. She is gettingthe necessary infrastructuresupport to move ahead in life.Nathiya is a confident girl, a

fast learner and a person who is also willing to give time for workthat helps others.

We never expected to have asports story to tell, especiallyin the early years of our work.Kumaresan, who lives inEllapatti Erikodi nearNatrampalli, Tamil Nadu, wasa well-built person who wenthome in 2011 with tailoringskills. Living in a not-soaccessible place, his optionswere limited. He had beentrying to make a living byowning a petty shop in hishome and also an occasionaldabble at tailoring.A year later, he appeared to be losing strength.Lack of exercise equipment was a reason.When we supportedhim in this regard, it was to help him get and stay stronger. RameshSridharan, a very self-driven physiotherapist in CMC, Vellore,spotted opportunity in sports for Kumaresan.After just a week oftraining in a few events, at the National Paralympic Games inChennai in early 2013, Kumaresan became National Champion inshot put and earned a silver medal in discus. Paralympics 2016 inBrazil is a goal. He continues to get support to sharpen his skills.

Update from 2012

Edward Sigamani, a tertraplegic who can barely and partially use a few fingers, has beengoing great guns in his mobile recharge business.His volumes have risen to about ` 90,0000a month, and his earnings, at about ` 4,600, keep growing to facilitate upkeep of his family.His wife, Parveen, is a source of enormous support, even as she helps persons at the Rehabcentre during their training. Edward is fully abreast in all matters regarding the rechargebusiness and is guiding three others in setting up / developing a recharge business.

Renewed life after 12 years

report 2013

We did not want to feature Manoj (sporting the yellowT Shirt) forthe third year running, but his efforts in the past year ensured hepicked himself.When in UKG, he suffered a high-level spinal cordinjury. Following rehabilitation in CMCVellore, he has been doingwell in school. His dad drives an auto.The family lives in dauntingcircumstances. But nothing fazes Manoj. In 2013, Manoj visited theMaryVerghese Institute of Rehabilitation (Rehab, Bagayam) thriceto share his experience with five children and their parents. He hasmotivated them to get back to school and effortlessly handledquestions. He has also gone to a small village to meet Jayakumarwho has been severely impacted in a road accident, having lost hisability to use his hands and legs fully and freely.Whizzing on thewheelchair, Manoj provides confidence to not just children, buteverybody who meets him. Just aged 9 now, he is already makinga difference to several lives.

Kishore, hailing from Irinjulkuda in Kerala,has had deformed feet since birth.A hairdresser, he pursued his interests in avariety of sports – running, karate,archery and kalari (a traditional Keralasport that involves a variety of physicalcontact events). Interested in competingat the National and Asian level, RameshSridharan, a physiotherapist at CMC,Vellore, drew attention to his need forarchery equipment. Provided with aquality kit, he attained very good resultswith two silver medals at the NationalGames.His determination means greaterheights beckon.

Spinal Care India aspires to be an organisation that helpsimprove the quality of life of persons with spinal cord injury.Wecontinue to support its work extensively. There have beenencouraging developments towards establishing a Pan-Indiaorganisation to further the cause.We hope to have more toreport on this front in the year ahead.A report on Spinal CareIndia is available separately.

A peer counsellor at 9

Braving feet deformity

Toll Free 1800 425 1210

Moving ahead, by any meansRichard, aged 15, paid by ahuge price for his dalliancewith the thrills of riding a bike.An accident left him paralysedneck downward.He had to bestabilised with cage-likeequipment for about threemonths. Gradually, there was asmall degree of improvement,but not enough to help himuse his hands for any activity.Coming from an economicallychallenged background, he waslucky in one respect: his foodand medical needs were takencare by an organisation even before his injury.

At Rehab, Bagayam,work by outstanding therapists helped get himto a wheelchair though he needed assistance in moving around.His cheery disposition helped. His confidence improved when hewas able to operate, after much struggle, an iPad using a mouthstylus. If there is no further improvement, this is his way to furtherhis education. Richard is just one example vindicating ourendeavour to provide high-tech aids to bolster rehabilitation.

Update from 2012

Dr Suranjan Bhattacharji retired after four decades of service at Christian Medical College,Vellore in the cause of the physically challenged. Starting as student, he masterminded thegrowth of PMR & Rehab, Bagayam and rose to become Director of CMC. Following hisretirement in March 2013, he has moved to a remote part of Orissa to help buildhealthcare. We are privileged to be guided by his vision and thinking. Dr SuranjanBhattacharji is the inspiration for, and the Head of the Advisory Board ofThe GangaTrust.

report 2013

At the farewell function on March 7, 2013 for Dr SuranjanBhattacharji, former Director of Christian Medical College,Vellore,and Head of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PMR)Department, Sashank opened the evening by reading from hisiPad the views expressed by Dr Suranjan on Dr MaryVerghese.

She was a visionary, the pioneer of the first in-patient PMR inIndia, and the founder of Rehab in the Bagayam Campus ofChristian Medical College,Vellore.

Assisting Sashank is Neeraj Gampawar, his first Physiotherapist.On the screen is an image of Dr MaryVerghese, CMC Alumnus& a paraplegic due to a road accident in 1954, caring for a childfrom her wheelchair.

Sashank Vaiibhav Allu, an alumnus of IIT Madras, was all set to gofor his Masters from a top notch U S University. A few weeksbefore departure, he fell off the balcony at home.This left himparalysed neck downward.

As his parents were doctors, they ensured he received quality basiccare that prevented more damages that are usually common inthe early weeks.

Thanks to invaluable guidance from a family friend, Sashank cameto Christian Medical College (CMC),Vellore early in December2012. In a couple of weeks, he was at the MaryVerghese Institutefor Rehabilitation (Rehab) in the Bagayam Campus of CMCVellore.

Starting off completely dependent, in about four months, heattained levels of independence that is matched by only a fewother persons with cervical level spinal cord injury in India.

While training there, he started writing a blog QuadriplegicChronicles with the tagline How I Relearned Living. No spinal cordinjured person in India has mustered the acceptance and courageto start writing about their life after a spinal cord injury so early.

In one of his posts titled The Four Minute Milers in July 2013,Sashank narrates his experience with Artist Suresh (known as ArtSir in Rehab, who has not let muscular dystrophy ay birth deterhim one bit) and SVaidyanathan, two regular volunteers at Rehab.

This was the first time we were getting written feedback on theExperience Sharing Program of The Ganga Trust for which wecommit sizeable resources every year.

His blog inspires, and the contents that already have immensepotential to morph into a landmark book that will inspire manyphysically challenged persons not just in India.We present an editedversion and urge you to read the full version at his bloghttp://quadriplegicchronicles.blogspot.in.

I was tired and grumpy that Monday evening, sitting in a wheelchairand being pushed around the lush Rehab campus that was grey tomy eyes as I was in no mood. Sitting often made me grumpy andtired those days.

I asked my dad if we could go to the Rehab canteen. He agreedand we slowly made our way there. I saw my doctor, Dr. GeorgeTharion, talking to a bright-eyed middle-aged man sitting at his tablein a wheelchair.

Dr.Tharion saw me and waved, asking me to come over.When Iwent to his table, Dr. Tharion said, "Hello Sashank. Meet Mr.Vaidyanathan". Mr.Vaidyanathan shook hands with me saying, "Callme Vaidy". And it took me a long time to stop calling him sir andstart calling himVaidy.

He shook my hands again, this time, trying to judge the strength ofmy grip. He inquired about my injury and I told him the same storyI told people a hundred times.

He listened to me while sipping on his juice box and when I wasdone he squeezed it, dropped it on the table and said, "You can stilldo everything you ever wanted to do.You just need to work forit".

He smiled and continued "I'll come visit you some time; right nowI need to go see if I have any cuts on my body.There has been amajor accident on my way here that shattered the windshield andI've been sitting on shattered glass for the last half hour. See youlater".

And he left.A lot of people told me many times before that I'd stillbe able to do everything. But whenVaidy spoke, it was different.Hiswords held weight. I was actually willing to believe what he said. Isomehow thought he had the right to say what he just said.

Above all, I loved the way he treated a dangerous accident like a

Feedback on Experience Sharing Program

report 2013Feedback on Experience Sharing Program

Artist Suresh shares his thoughts at the farewell function for DrSuranjan Bhattacharji assisted by Sunil Raj, Physiotherapist, andJoseph, support staff. Sashank writes: ‘Art wasn't the only thingI learnt from him… There are absolutely no excuses. If youneed help, be man enough to take it. As long as your brainis intact, you can do wonders just by blinking. Art Sir andVaidy remain the beacons of hope for every patient at the CMCRehab.They prove you don't need to be able to stand to standtall.They are the ones who prove that you can break the barrierand finish your mile, doesn't matter what you have or don't.They made my mile, the dream mile’.

fender bender hours after it happened to him.

It's not like I haven't heard ofVaidy before I met him. He is prettyfamous in Rehab. He suffered a spinal cord injury when he fell offhis hostel balcony (which I had little trouble relating to). Thatrendered him a paraplegic.

He was immobilised for three months and did not undergo asurgery. He was at the CMC Rehab for a while before he wentback to IIM Bangalore to finish his MBA. After working for abouttwenty years, he had to come back to CMC because he caughtTB.

It was then that he thought he had to help make a difference. Hestarted an organisation calledThe GangaTrust. He lives in Chennainow, but makes sure he's at Rehab at least two days a week. Hegoes around Rehab talking to patients and motivating them.

There's nothing fun he won't do. He goes to movies, malls,restaurants and even cricket matches but he doesn't swim and Ido, courtesy of Charlie, a visiting Physiotherapist from U.K. I knowthat the introduction was a little vague and definitely misses a lot,but I am not out to write his biography. I want to talk about whathe taught me.

Vaidy sure lectures a lot but most of what I learnt from him wasnot through his lectures ( I am so sorryVaidy. I don't mean in anyway that your lectures are boring or redundant ).The time I spentwith him teaches me lessons even now when I am hundreds ofmiles away from him.

What has happened has happened. This is who you are now.So suck it up.

Whenever Vaidy spoke of his past, I never saw him show even ahint of sadness. If he is missing who he used to be before hisaccident, he never shows it.Yes that's how I want to be. I want tomove on and be happy instead of being stuck. I know that thatcan't happen overnight. But I know it can happen.Vaidy is the proof.

If you can do something yourself, be a man and do it yourself.

Doesn't matter if it takes ten times the time it takes when you takehelp.You'll learn ways to cut the time short. It's easy to grow lazyand start treating people around you like your slaves while theycontinue helping you because they pity you. But that's not okay.

Don't weep because you aren't respected. Earn it and take it.

I've seen a hall with fifty people grow silent once when Vaidyentered. He has so much presence. I don't know if you feel sorrywhen you see someone in a wheelchair, but pity is not the thingthat comes to your mind when you look at Vaidy. He isindependent.

He does everything a normal person does.Nobody treats him likea patient and more importantly, he doesn't treat himself like one.I figured that's the first step to earning respect. Carry yourself like

a king if you want to be treated as one.

Give back.

I don't know what really compels Vaidy to help. He goes way outof his way to be there for patients at Rehab who are total strangersto him. I don't know why he does it, but what he does helps. Ithelped me. I feel a life spent busy trying to live for oneself is worthnothing. By that rule, Vaidy's is definitely worth millions. I amdetermined to follow him.

Writing a post about Vaidy and Art Sir, my experiences andmemories with them has been an experience in itself. When Istarted writing this post, my head was all over the place.At timesI questioned myself if I truly believe what I am writing. I don't knowif it was because of everything I had to recollect or things thathappened around me.

But over the last few days, I've gained a new friend, a new faith anda new goal. Tomorrow, I know I am going to wake up for theapology I owe someone, the promise I made and the goal I needto fulfil. I end this post with a clear mind, way more peaceful thanwhen I started writing it.

� Adoption of May 26, the birthday of Dr Mary Verghese, asAbility Day

� Experience Sharing Program at the MaryVerghese Institute ofRehabilitation (Rehab) in the Bagayam campus in CMCVellore

� Enhanced Recreational & Computer Facility at Rehab

� Use of laptop, touch devices and hi-tech rehabilitation aids aspart of the therapy process

� Program to take care of medicines / surgical needs / accessories/ mobility aids of economically challenged persons undergoingrehabilitation

� Vocational training at the MaryVergheseTrust

� Equipment to help vocational rehabilitation

� Service of a Social Worker focusing on tracking communitylevel rehabilitation of persons with severe physical challenges

� Support to The Hope House (www.thehopehouse.in), anorganisation that provides wholesome care to children,abandoned / disadvantaged, and of parents affected by HIV

� Speech Trainers & high quality aids for hearing challengedchildren atWORTHTrust

� Support for vocation training centre cum get-together hall atMaryVergheseTrust

� Enhanced networking with key persons / organisations involvedin rehabilitation at the ground level

� Travel support for physically & economically challenged personsto access quality medical care

� Running For Ability, an initiative for Spinal Care India, toshowcase the definite possibility of a quality life if you get quality& timely rehabilitation after a spinal cord injury

� Support for the CMC Marathon

� Education Assistance Program on a referral basis, mainly inallied health services and villages

� Learning Points – providing accessto computer & online facilities –in Thirupparaitturai, Ayyarmalaiand Ambur are reaching severalhundred children.

Initiatives

We work withthe ganga trust

203, 18th Street, Chowdhry Nagar,Valasaravakkam, Chennai 600087 IndiaEmail thegangatrust@gmail.comPhone +91 97909 36844

report 2013Dr Mary Verghese Award 2012

K V Rabiya from Kerala received the Dr Mary Verghese Award2012 from Dr GeorgeTharion, Head of PMR Department, CMC,Vellore, for her outstanding service to the community, especially inspreading literacy, women empowerment as well as for helping thephysically challenged. Polio at birth, cancer at age 32, tetraplegia(neck-level spinal cord injury) at 37 and diabetes – even one wouldhave deterred almost any person – were just taken in their stride,as she focused on service.We are privileged to be associated withthe Dr MaryVerghese Award Foundation.

Running For Ability

Eight spinal cord injured persons did 113 kilometres inTheWiproChennai Marathon 2013 without assistance. We hope to havemore in 2014. Doctors, physiotherapists and occupationaltherapists who do outstanding lives-changing work at CMC,Vellore,made for a robust support cast in a 63-member team. MaduraFashion sponsored this program with a classy custom T Shirt.Families of five spinal core injured persons took care of logistics.

The GangaTrust page is intended to motivate, inform andhelp physically challenged persons.

Christian Medical CollegeVellore WORTHTrustMaryVerghese Institute of Rehabilitation The Hope HouseMaryVergheseTrust TrinityTrustDr MaryVerghese Award Foundation Spinal Care IndiaCode 4 Cause Running For AbilityVruksham Foundation The Ability People