Special kids to display creativity at exhibition

With the festival of lights just around the corner, city-based Bal Kalyan Sanstha (BKS) is organising a three-day exhibition on its campus on University of Pune-Aundh Road, from October 21-23.

The exhibition will display lanterns and other decorative artefacts made by students of the institute.  

Explaining the reason behind organising the exhibition, Sulbha Baravkar, craft teacher at BKS, said, “The exhibition will make the
special children aware of their extraordinary potential for creativity and will encourage them to pursue their talent. We also organised a Kalamkari workshop to prepare our students for the event.”

Minita Patil, manager, BKS, who judged the embroidery competition at the 8th International Abilympics in Seoul, South Korea, said, “I was mesmerised to see the
artefacts created by people with disabilities from all over the world. Our art faculty,
Vilas More, who is hearing impaired, was one of the
contestants at the pottery competition in Seoul.”

More, whose work will be displayed at the exhibition, said, “I was happy to see the buses in Seoul that have special space for wheelchairs. The most memorable part of the visit was representing India and meeting artists from 57 countries.”

A recreational and cultural centre for disabled children, BKS in Pune began its journey during a time when educating disabled children was important, but the recreational needs could not be met due to lack of funds and space.

Government officials, social workers, and teachers worked together in order to set up the sanstha. Today 1,200-1,500 children attend the centre from areas in and around Pune.