With increasing advancement in the medical field, a lot more precious lives are saved. But the cost of survival may sometimes be much more than just in terms of money. Many such children end up having poor scholastic problems, mild to severe mental retardation, seizures, and several physical deformities.

Besides, there are many children in the society who are mentally challenged due to several other reasons, congenital or acquired.

Working in a place like Kanpur, a tier II town, I found it heart breaking to realize that there was no place where parents of these kids could find solace. The sense of helplessness and a fervent desire to bring new methods and contemporary teaching practices to educate and help such children led to formation of "Amrita" a shelter, a school, and a home for these children.

In 2009 December, as a mark of respect for my 83 years old mother, who is a Florence nightingale of our house, I started the school with a principal, a rehabilitation psychologist, two special educators and two kids.

With abundant enthusiasm, interminable hopes and inimitable passion we pursued. There was a dearth of qualified professionals in the town, absolutely no sensitivity towards these special children in our society, and poor awareness amongst the parents of these kids. We had a tall order to follow.

Time flew like paper in the wind; we are now a big family, which thrives on good work.

The philosophy of the school can be summed up in these famous lines of Robert Frost..
The woods are lovely, dark and deep
But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep . ...!

Dr. Rashmi Kapoor