The stage was a riot of colours with carefully crafted flowers and banners lent it a unique charm. The banner “We Are Stronger Together” exemplified the spirit of IICP. The event started with a short welcome address by Madhurima Dasgupta, vice-principal, Centre for Special Education (the school unit of IICP), and by Amrita Roy, coordinator, Centre for Special Education. Students of the Centre for Special Education and Jugnu (a School Readiness and Nutrition Program, under the aegis of Centre for Special Education) put up a performance. Suchetana Mukherjee, principal of the Centre for Special Education, IICP unit, gave a presentation on the school after which the prize distribution got underway. The audience, which mostly consisted of parents of students and current and former employees of IICP, cheered enthusiastically for the students as they received their awards
Piu Haldar (centre) won the Junie Sethi Award for best stage performance. She couldn’t contain her smile as she flaunted her trophy for the audience to break into a loud applause. The children were awarded for a variety of achievements such as the best use of a tablet for communication and class activities, for commendable progress in computer skills, for the best use of augmentative and alternative communication, for the best usage of library resources, for being the best vocal performer, among others
Srija Sinha (centre), was awarded for general proficiency and was also one of the recipients of the School Leavers Awards which are meant for students who, after turning 18, graduate from the school services and move on to the other departments of IICP. Srija was at her chirpy best and agreed for a photograph with her mother (left) and principal of the Centre for Special Education, IICP unit, Suchetana Mukherjee (right). Her mother, Sriparna Mitra Sinha said that IICP had been an integral part of their lives ever since Srija was two years old. ‘I am always grateful to IICP for making my daughter into a well-rounded, independent woman. I would love for more parents to come here and seek help because there are many parents who are still in denial about the condition,’ she said
The former staff of the institution were honoured with plaques by Rakhi Sarkar (left), chairperson, IICP, in the last segment of the event. The other guests of honour for the day were Dalbir Chadda, principal of South Point School junior campus, Koeli Dey, principal of Sushila Birla Girls’ School, Deepak Banerjee, finance mentor and member advisory committee, IICP, and Lipi Das, general manager (ER & legal), Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers
Reena Sen, former executive director and present honorary secretary, IICP, said IICP was a ‘part of her identity’. ‘Ever since I came here at the age of 21, IICP has given me all the opportunities for my academic progress and development as a human being. It has taught me about life and given me the most precious experiences. My greatest teachers have been the children that I have taught here and their parents. What is so amazing about the Annual Prize Day is that it recognises a person in totality. If we talk about multiple intelligences, it celebrates all the nine intelligences. At IICP we are taught to look at the person and not at the disability,’ she concluded
On her part, Sudha Kaul (seated, in red sari), founder, trustee and vice-chairperson of IICP, Kolkata, said: “The IICP Annual Prize Day, since its inception in 1976, has not only been a celebration of the students’ achievements but also a collaborative effort of the IICP staff (teachers, therapists, social workers and care staff) to recognise and acknowledge the potential in each student that enters the doors of IICP. Always a joyous day for me!’
