Karnataka: Special children steal the show at Dasara event

Mysuru: It was an honour he could not have imagined when other children poked fun at him for being “different” as he was growing up. A fever when he was a year old, changed C Yeshwanth’s life, leaving him mentally challenged, but  on Monday the 23- year- old inaugurated the “Special Children’s’ Dasara,” bringing tears of joy to his mother’s eyes. 

“There were days when I silently wept after someone had ill-treated him in my absence. I used to carry him in my arms for several years, but today he does things on his own and even works in a private company in Mysuru, earning Rs 7,000 a month,”  said his mother, Chandramma, adding, “The honour that he has been given of inaugurating the Special Children’s Dasara has made me so proud that it has taken away all the pain of the struggles we have gone through.” The event saw 241 special children from 19 organisations perform a variety of cultural programmes and Yeshwanth was clearly an inspiration to them as he has overcome his disabilities to become a productive member of his community . 

“It’s all thanks to my husband, and  Yeshwanth’s teacher from Maathru Mandali Shishu Kendra, Mr Pandu and my brother, who stood by me that my son is doing so well today,” said an emotional Chandramma.

Following his stint at the Maathrumandali Shishuvikaasa Kendra where he remained from the age of three to eight, Yeshwanth underwent speech therapy at the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing and moved to a normal school where he studied until class 10 . Having done a vocational course offered for special children by the Rotary Club, he was absorbed by a private firm where he now earns Rs 7,000 a month.. “I am very happy. I  wish people like me don’t ever give up,” said an exultant Yeshwanth.