A group of students with disabilities was on the stage performing with percussion instruments while teachers and principals in the audience were recording the piece on their mobile phones.
Most of the teachers were from “mainstream schools”.
An orchestra comprising students of Manovikas Kendra performed a 15-minute piece that earned them a standing ovation on June 15.
One school head said that she would be sharing the video with her colleagues to tell them that individuals with special needs can also attain high standards of excellence.
The orchestra, Tal Tarang, performed at the CBSE’s state-level conference at Gyan Manch this month.
The orchestra at the institute was formed 17 years ago.
The present band members have varying special needs — autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and intellectual disabilities — and are between ages 10 and 25.
“Students join the orchestra depending on their abilities and interest. The orchestra might not rehearse every day but the members have to practice their instruments daily,” said Anamika Sinha, director of Manovikas Kendra.
Some of the instruments that they used were dhol, tabla, dhamsa, synthesiser, djembe and the jazz drum set.
After the pandemic, this was the first performance of the group at a public event.
Somenath Maitra, the rhythm special teacher at Manovikas Kendra, who has been associated with the institute for the past 30 years, said: “It took me five years to train the current batch. They can achieve a lot but one has to be patient with them, especially when they make mistakes.”
Sinha said that it is “only when people see the students perform they understand their talent and dedication”.
“The general conception is that individuals with special needs cannot achieve much. Their teachers assign them simple tasks out of sympathy. But this performance showed that with the right training, they can achieve excellence. We would want to promote this in our school,” said Amita Prasad, director, Indus Valley World School.
Prasad said that the performance of the students of Manovikas Kendra has also set a high benchmark for students without any special needs.