NISWARTH

The Editor has dedicated this page to the work of "Niswarth" with the driving force being Harsh Kumar
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Below is the link to Gowri Mohanakrishnan web site which has some interesting items about NISWARTH
http://seventhchords.blogspot.com/2009/08/niswarth.html

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February 9 2010

February 2 2010

January 16 2010
An update on Niswarth activity from Gowri

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December 16 2009
An update from Gowri about Niswarth planned activities

Dear friends,

I heard from Harsh about the meetings he and Sanjana
Sarkar had with the administration and with the tea fraternity on their recent visit to Assam. Here's what he has to say:

The Deputy Commissioner, Udalguri District, met with the two Niswarth members on December 11, 2009. The DC had organised a meeting of all concerned officials to discuss the first Disability Camp in the area. During the course of the meeting, the following points were finalised.

A Disability Camp will be held on January 5, 2010 at Bettybarie T.G.Hospital. Mr.S.Sarkar, manager of the garden, was appointed camp coordinator on behalf of the planters, and the SDO, Udalguri Dist was appointed the nodal officer.

The camp will not only cover the seven tea gardens of the area but also the neighouring Bustee population.

While the planters involved will take care of publicity for the camp among the tea gardens, the District administration will take care of alerting the bustee population.

With the help of the ABITA, Niswarth has arranged for an Audiometry machine, which is required for disability detection, and a technician, both from DDRC Tezpur.

The District administration has undertaken to make arrangements for Blood Grouping for the disabled persons attending camp.

Niswarth would like to thank the District Deputy Commissioner for all his initiatives and efforts. Also, Circle Chairman Mr. Gautam Roy for taking the lead and offering to have first disability camp in Borsola circle. Thanks also to Mr. D.Chakroborty, Secretary ABITA Zone III, for his guidance and help in all matters.

With best wishes,
Gowri Mohanakrishnan

16 December, 2009.
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December 4 2009
A message from Gowri

Dear friends,
There will be an eye camp at Meenglas Tea Garden in Western Dooars on Sunday, 6 December, 2009. On the following Sunday, Jayantika Tea Estate in the Terai will host an eye camp.
A Niswarth team leaves for Assam tomorrow to hold a disability camp in the Udalguri Dt. - date and venue yet to be decided.
Thanks to Sanjay and the Red FM team for all their support - great to hear from you, Sanjay!
Niswarth greeting cards are ready - I just received some samples of the beautiful cards today.
With best wishes,
Gowri Mohanakrishnan.
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November 14 2009

Niswarth On Air!

November 11 2009

 

Niswarth held a Disability Camp at Banarhat Tea Estate in Central Dooars on Sunday, November 8, 2009. This camp was organised with the support of Andrew Yule and Co. and in collaboration with the Jalpaiguri District Administration. It began at 9.00 a.m. and went on till almost 5.00 p.m. Tea, breakfast and lunch packets were distributed to every one who attended - the patients and their attendants, and all the people who worked all day to ensure that the exercise was smooth and efficient. This included doctors and labour welfare officers from a number of gardens.

 

The camp was planned for 20 gardens in the district. As it happened, 28 gardens sent patients. The number of patients screened was 456, and of them 347 qualified as having 40% or more disabilities.

 

This was the first time I attended a Disability camp and actually saw how it worked. First the patients were registered. They were then sent into the different rooms which were earmarked for screening by the panel of doctors from the C.M.O.H. Screenings were under these categories : Mobility/Orthopedic disability, Hearing Impairment, Visual Impairment, Mental and Multiple Disability. Niswarth team members documented and photographed each case who qualified to receive benefits.

 

The patients who are at least 40% disabled qualify to receive Disability cards and benefits, as well as free aids and appliances from the government. Harsh Kumar reminds us that the camp is only the first phase in the process, as Niswarth undertakes to obtain the Disability cards as well as to organise the distribution of aids and appliances to the patients.

Audio test in progress

Large numbers turned up for registry

Waiting to see the Doctors

A smile of pure joy in the midst of the crowds

 

Here are some observations from some of the Niswarth 'regulars'.

 

Sanjana Sarkar observed : There are no dignitaries or Chief Guests, but only 'special guests' at Niswarth camps. Niswarth aims to introduce the specially abled people to themselves, and to their abilities, as opposed to their limitations. It seeks to educate people about how much the government offers to people with disabilities. Many people are unaware of the aim and the scope of a Disability Card, or of what entitlements are in store.

 

Sarvesh Tripathi said : A Niswarth camp is like a Maha Kumbh - the "maha" or "great" Kumbh Mela, a spiritual congregation that occurs once every twelve years. Masses of people gather at the Kumbh to seek salvation. Only, with Niswarth, we get to witness one every few weeks! The Niswarth camps are nothing less than a spiritual awakening for many of us. They are a celebration of the human spirit. The self reliance, self-respect and courage of those who live with disabilities is an eye-opener for many 'fully abled' people. 

 

With best wishes,

Gowri Mohanakrishnan

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November 3 2009
The great work continues

Here is the latest update from Gowri

Dooars: The eye camp held on 1 November at Damdim Tea Estate registered 424 patents. There were 95 cases of cataract. Spectacles were prescribed for 80 patients and free medicine was given to 328 patients.
One case of pterygium was detected.

Assam: While we wait for a detailed account of the two Disability Camps held in Assam, we hear that the camps held at Bokel T.E. and at Langarjan T.E. had 218 patients and 118 patients respectively.

With best wishes,
Gowri Mohanakrishnan
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October 26 2009

Message from Gowri  Mohanakrishnan.

Niswarth Activities for October and early     November 2009

The festive season is over now, and its back to work for everyone. Between the Durga Puja and Kali Puja holidays, on October 11, there was an eye camp at Tulsipara Tea Garden in Dalgaon District in the Dooars. A total of 183 patients attended. Among them, 32 cases of cataract were detected, and six cases of pterygium.

Spectacles were prescribed to 28 patients. As you know, these spectacles are later made available at discounted prices. Free medicine was distributed to 117 patients. Interestingly, 18 patients from Bhutan attended the camp - the Bhutan border is very close to Tulsipara!

In the Dooars again, there is an eye camp scheduled for November 1 at Dam Dim Tea Estate (Western Dooars).
On November 8, there will be a disability camp at Banarhat Tea Estate in Central Dooars, for all the gardens of the Binnaguri area.

Assam : A Niswarth team left for Assam early this morning. On October 29, they will hold a disability camp at Bokel Tea Garden in the Lahowal area of Dibrugarh district. On October 31, there will be a disability camp at Langarjan Tea Estate, in the Naharkatia area, also in Dibrugarh district.

Do check out the Niswarth home page to read a detailed record of its activities, employees and products. That's http://www.niswarth.com/home

A quote from the website : "Niswarth's activities have, so far, resulted in the local population receiving social benefits worth over Rs. 75 lakhs from the Government, Lions Club and Agencies!"

With best wishes,
Gowri Mohanakrishnan.

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October16 2009
Niswarth and Durga Puja

Puja, the biggest festival of the year, just went past. Nothing could dampen the spirit of celebration in the Dooars gardens - not the drought, and not even the high prices of food and goodies. Niswarth's people celebrated with a musical entertainment show in Bagracote Tea Garden on September 25, 2009.

 

In keeping with the Puja spirit, the show was open to all. There were a number of entertainers from Bagracote, but the Niswarth performers were the highlight of the show. Surjya Oraon's song had everone cheering and clapping loudly. This was the only way they communicate their appreciation to Surjya, who can't see.

About half an hour into the show, we heard there were two and a half thousand spectators. Later, even more gathered. It wasnt possible to get the exact number, but it turned out that all the labour lines were 'Khaali' and every resident of the garden was at the show!

 

The show stealer was Deepa, who danced to a lively Hindi film song. This lovely girl has malformed feet; they are twisted and point backwards. The CD took some time to find. Deepa was all ready to dance, and she waited quietly, smiling and excited.

When the music began, Deepa danced with terrific energy, mouthing all the words of the song and enacting all the emotions expressed by the singer. There were four boys dancing with her. Two of them cannot hear at all, and the other two have very limited mobility. Their team work was remarkable.

As they danced, the crowd went wild. There was no way anyone present would think of the hardship or sorrow of such physical afflictions. Emotions ran high. There were some women sitting behind me, clapping with their hands high in the air, smiling and weeping at the same time.

Thank you, Deepa, and boys. You showed us that music and dance are for everyone, and that they have the power to fill us with happiness.

 

Harsh told me how Deepa became something of a star that night. Representatives of the local press were seen clustered around her for a long time. 

 

Best wishes,

Gowri.
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October 6 2009
Eye camp at Jogeshchandra Tea Estate, October 5 2009

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October 2 2009

Hi friends,
Just a very brief update for now : Niswarth will hold an Eye camp at Jogeshchandra Tea Estate, a closed tea garden in Western Dooars on October 5, 2009.
More soon,
Gowri.
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September 9 2009

Third Niswarth Disability Camp August 30 2009 at Moran T.E. in Assam

Below we have a fascinating account of the third Niswarth Disability Camp in Moran Assam held on August 30 2009 --we thank both Priti and Gowri for their wonderful efforts

In times when we talk about finer tea making, aggressive tea marketing even tea tourism, I feel proud to have a planter friend, Harsh Kumar ,who is thinking differently about tea.

Thirty years in tea and I say it with pride, “I have seen it all and
done it all”  - but only till I attended disability camp organized by
Niswarth. Then I realized there is so much to do and so much more to learn.

This is a couple that has a severely disabled child. I was humbled to see their compassion and patience. They sat from 8 am to 11am to see the doctors taking turns to attend their child. The child was in a lot of discomfort and kept whimpering all through, but not even once I saw mother giving up. She took care of him with such love and care, that watching her I started to wonder from where she draws her strength?

 HOPE I guess.



When Daju Kahar entered the camp, at first look he didn’t look
physically challenged. He came, picked up a chair and sat down. It was when he picked up the chair that one realized that his right hand was missing. In place of that he had a wooden hand, designed and manufactured by himself. It seemed to be working perfectly. Talk about JAIPUR FOOT we had our own indigenous inventor Daju Kahar with MORAN HAND!





This bearded man with a missing foot came dragging himself on crutches. We had planned to register the physically disabled first to save them from the trouble of long queues. One moment I saw him as one of the first ones in the queue. Suddenly he turned around and left  hopping away hurriedly on his crutches., I followed him to find out why he was going back. Without  stopping, he told me he was rushing  back home to shave as he had heard there would be photos taken of  each patient and he simply didn’t want to look unkempt. I saw him again after 2 hours, clean-shaven and beaming.. It might be a few months till Niswarth is able to get him a disability card and then an artificial limb, but I am happy that for that day Niswarth camp managed to give him a smile and some hope. Such smiles are the reward of being a Niswarth volunteer.

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Thank you Priti for that moving account, and for the lovely photographs!

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August 22 2009
Harsh Kumar and Gowri send this report of the progress at Niswarth
 

 Niswarth Second Disabilty Camp in Assam

Dibrugarh, Assam
August 16, 2009.
Niswarth members will be happy to know that the second Assam camp, held in Dibrugargh town, was very well attended. More than 205 people were identified as disabled, and the process of getting Disability Cards for them is now under way. It's heartening to know this, considering that only 15 disabled people in the area are card holders at present. We all now know that a Disability cardholder is entitled to free rail travel, free rides on public transport, aids and appliances and other benefits from the government.
A Disability Card is valid only for a period of three years in Assam. Niswarth team members have applied to the authorities for an extension of the validity period to ten years.
The next Disability Camp in Assam will be held on the weekend beginning August 28th. It is going to be held in Moran Tea Estate, and a total of 14 gardens - seven from Dibrugarh District and seven from Sibsagar District - will be covered.

Mr. Sabyasachi Bhattacharjee, Mr. Dinesh Roka, Mr. Kinkar Pandit, Mr. Harsh Kumar and Mrs. Sanjana Sarkar and Mrs. Priti Parmar are all set to head for Assam again. They have met with enthusiastic cooperation and total involvement from the A.B.I.T.A. (Assam Branch Indian Tea Association) .

Mr. Sarkar Group Finance Manager of the M.K.Shah group speaks at the Niswarth Disability Camp held at Panitola Group Hospital, Assam. Seated on his left is Mr Matharu, Chairman ABITA Zone 1. On Mr. Sarkar's right, from left to right, are seated Dr. P Khaund, CMO Assam Tea Company, Mrs Sanjana Sarkar from Niswarth, and Dr Liaqat Ali, CMO Panitola Group Hospital.  At the extreme right of the picture is Mr. Sandip Ghosh, Secretary, ABITA Zone 1.

Dibrugarh pic

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DOOARS
Meanwhile, the Eye Camp held at Lakhipara Tea Garden in the Dooars on August 16 was well attended in spite of the pouring rain. Around 35 patients were identified as cataract cases. Arrangements for these patients' free transportation, free hospital stay and surgery were made as they always are at every Niswarth Eye Camp, in collaboration with the Lions Club Hospital in Siliguri.  Mrs Priti Parmar is also accompanying Niswarth group for the Camp Lakhipara in the Dooars


Below are two pictures of those attending 
    kindly supplied by Priti Parmar

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the Initial Introduction March 2009
Gowri sent us this information about the help freely offered to others

I'm sending you a story  about an organisation called 'Niswarth' that helps the underprivileged/disabled people in tea gardens.

It was started by Harsh Kumar and his wife Neelam, of Bagracote Tea Garden (a Duncans garden). They were our Burra Saab and Burra Memsaab when he was acting in Bagracote almost 20 years ago. Neelam had suffered a stroke when the couple decided to start work in this direction. She passed away last year, and Harsh has redoubled his efforts to keep the good work going.

"The Niswarth Story"

Niswarth (Hindi word; meaning - unselfish) is the name of the organisation started in Bagracote Tea Garden, Jalpaiguri District, by the Manager Harsh Kumar and his wife, Neelam. The aim of the organisation is 'providing employment and a social standing to the underprivileged in our society.' The focus is on disabled people.

Neelam passed away a year ago, on the 29th of February. A little over two years before that, she had suffered a stroke. Life changed drastically for both Neelam and Harsh. They fought hard against the effects of the stroke, which affected her movements and her speech.

Neelam was a cheerful and lively person, full of fun. All of us who knew her found it tough to reconcile to what had happened. Harsh and Neelam were a devoted couple, and their son and daughter, who live abroad, made frequent trips home, providing help and moral support. Her strong nature and the family's love helped; Neelam improved tremendously.

Harsh learnt and read everything he could about stroke related disabilities. At such a time, the couple's thoughts turned to those who didn't have the means to help themselves. And that was how they started 'Niswarth', in 2007. In May 2007, members of Niswarth started a scheme providing employment to the disabled - the production of incense sticks.

Soon after Neelam passed away, in March 2008, Harsh donated Rs. 4 lakh to Niswarth. Duncans Industries allocated land and a building for the organisation in Bagracote Tea Garden.

In July 2008, Niswarth held a Blood Donation and Disability camp. Identity cards were organised for hundreds of disabled people. At a camp in December 2008, hearing aids, wheelchairs, tricycles, crutches and disability cards were distributed to 176 beneficiaries. In January 2009, an eye camp was organised in collaboration with the Lions Club of Siliguri.
Harsh started talking to his friends in other tea gardens about hosting such camps.

In February, Anandapur T.E*., Kumlai T.E. , Leesh River T.E. and Nowera Nuddy T.E. in Dam Dim Subdistrict, and Moraghat T.E. in Binnaguri Subdistrict organised eye camps.
Early on the morning of the 16th February, a team of doctors, nurses and technicians, headed by Dr. Agarwal of Siliguri, set up camp in the garden hospital in Moraghat. Over 250 people got free eye check ups. Forty were diagnosed as cases for cataract surgery, and were taken to Siliguri the same evening by the team's Lions Club bus. Their stay, surgery, and treatment was all taken care of at the Lions Club Hospital.
The patients returned to the garden after two days. An optician came in from Birpara town to collect prescriptions and take measurements for spectacles, which were made available at discounted prices. Two children, deaf and mute since birth, were taken to visit the Niswarth centre at Bagracote the next day. They could be sponsored to attend a special school in Gangtok, if their parents wish to send them.

Next up on Niswarth's calendar is a Disability camp at Birpara Tea Garden on 1 March, 2009, for the gardens in Dalgaon Subdistrict. Niswarth will also sponsor deaf and mute children between the ages of 5 and 12 at special schools from March onwards.

Niswarth is a registered charity. If you wish to make a donation, or help in any way, please visit http://niswarth.com/home
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Below are some photos which help to set the scene

The editor of www.koi-hai.com would like to encourage you to make a donation if you can----Niswarth is a registered charity and the web site is  http://niswarth.com/home to get information

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 Niswarth's first  disability camp in Assam

Niswarth's first disability camp in Assam was held at Panitola Group Hospital last week. The members of Team Niswarth who travelled there from Dooars were overwhelmed by the response and the reception that the organisation received. Mr.Harsh Kumar and Mrs.Sanjana Sarkar have both spoken to me after they returned, and here is a brief report.

The camp was held for 15 tea gardens. The managers, labour welfare officers and medical officers of the 15 tea gardens attended the camp. The Deputy Commissioner of the district Mr. Tripathi, Joint Director of the Department of Health Dr. Hazarika, head of the D.S.W.O. Mr. Rajkhowa, and Chairman of A.B.I.T.A. Zone 1 Mr.Kuldeep Matharu were all present. Niswarth Chairman Harsh Kumar was deeply impressed with their sense of commitment to the cause, and the spirit of cooperation.

Of the people who were checked up by the panel of doctors, around 359 were identified as disabled. The process of filling in forms to register them with the government began at once. Once a person receives a disability card, he or she can travel free of cost in trains and buses. A disabled card holder also receives aids and appliances (e.g. wheelchair, tricycle) free of cost. There are many more benefits for a registered card holder. Niswarth is the first organisation to have taken up the cause of disabled people in tea gardens.

Niswarth team members had taken some 'Neelam' Agarbattis with them, and they were all sold out!

Niswarth will be back in Assam on the weekend of August 15-16. This time a Disability Camp will be held in Dibrugarh town in association with the Rotary Club of Dibrugarh thanks to the kind offices of Ms Kalpana Khaund, past Governor of the Rotary Club.

 Outside comments

A note from Swati Krishnan 9/8 addressed to Gowri
it is wonderful to hear that Niswarth has moved beyond Dooars and i hope you will all be in Delhi soon so that the Niswarth volunteers here (like me) can actively participate. thank you,
regards
swati