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| INAUGURATION OF MEGA MOBILITY CAMP at PALITANA (GUJARAT) INDIA BY THE HONOURABLE CHIEF MINISTER OF GUJARAT ON 23.12.2009 |
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The religious town of Palitana in Bhavnagar district was witness today to a different kind of prayer-that of showing compassion and caring for one’s fellow beings.
A mega mobility camp for the rehabilitation of 25,000 physically challenged was inaugurated by the Honourable Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Narendrabhai Modi.
The camp has been organized by Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust Mumbai with world wide support and is a step towards making Bhavnagar district free of any disabled awaiting rehabilitation.
The project would continue till 9th January, 2010 and would be the largest of its kind in the world.
During his round of the camp’s activities the Honourable CM gave away wheelchairs, tricycles, calipers and Jaipur foot to a few selected patients. The Jaipur foot prosthetic fitted on 2 ½ year old Vinit was indeed an eye opener.
Speaking at the function the Honourable CM said that he was indeed fortunate to have inaugurated such a humanitarian project for the poorest of the poor on the 3000th day of his office and that the care of the disabled was a responsibility of both society and the state.
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HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA AT MEGA MOBILITY CAMP IN PALITANA (GUJARAT)
ON JANUARY 3, 2010 |
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The religious town of Palitana in the Indian state of Gujarat was witness today to a different kind of prayer-that of showing compassion and caring for one’s fellow beings.
A mega mobility camp for the rehabilitation of over 25,000 physically handicapped and hearing impaired was blessed by His Holiness on January 3, 2010.
The camp organized by Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust Mumbai has been going on since December 23, 2009 and has already provided aids and appliances to over 20,000 beneficiaries.
It will continue till 9th January, 2010 and would be the largest of its kind in the world.
During his round of the camp’s activities His Holiness blessed the poorest of the poor disabled and spoke to them about how their lives would change after receiving the prosthetics.
Speaking at a mammoth gathering later His Holiness stressed on the need for world peace. He hoped that the violence seen over the last many years would now cease and a new awakening would occur where all religions would come together and promote inter-faith harmony. He also stressed on the imperative need for such projects as they gave a new lease of life to the poor disabled who could now not only become mobile but also gain self esteem.
In a high powered discussion with leading Jain Acharayas, Munis and other select invitees His Holiness the Dalai Lama brought forth the commonalities between Buddhism and Jainism and how the two religions could initiate a concerted effort to promote world peace. It was decided to continue this process further through discussions between two specially constituted committees of intellectuals from Buddhism and Jainism. His Holiness the Dalai Lama invited the Jainism team to Dharamsala to continue the process further. This has been a path breaking initiative thanks to the lead taken by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the leading Jain Acharyas & Munis of Palitana.
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| A REPORT ON THE 2009 PALITANA CAMP FOR THE DISABLED |
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| The world’s largest mobility camp was inaugurated by the Honourable Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Narendrabhai Modi |
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Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust, Mumbai in association with and supported by several National and International organizations as well as other well wishers had organized a Mega Mobility Camp for rehabilitation of the physically challenged and hearing impaired at Palitana, in the Bhavnagar district of Gujarat.
The camp stretched over an 18 day period from the 23rd of December, 2009 to the 9th of January, 2010 and was the largest humanitarian project of its kind in the world.
Set up in an over 100,000 square feet of specially erected pandal and auditorium the camp drew an unprecedented response and rehabilitated 16,760 orthopaedically handicapped and another 11,789 hearing impaired thus giving a new lease of life to 28,549 poorest of the poor disabled of Bhavnagar and adjoining districts.
The orthopaedically handicapped beneficiaries got free Callipers for the polio afflicted, Jaipur foot for the amputees, Splints and braces as well as Tricycles, Wheelchairs, Crutches and Walkers. The uniqueness of the project was that a patient who came to the camp in the morning was screened, measured and the prosthetic fabricated and fitted by early evening when the patient left for home in free vehicles provided by Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust.
The hearing impaired patients underwent an audiology test in a custom made mobile van and were given appropriate hearing aids.
The inauguration of the camp by the Honourable Chief Minister of Gujarat created an awareness in official circles of the need for aids and appliances amongst the poor disabled and would influence public policy in this regard. In his inaugural speech Shri Narendrabhai Modi also stressed on the need for such humanitarian projects through Public/Private Partnership efforts. His Holiness the Dalai Lama blessing the camp
While blessing the camp on Sunday 3rd January, 2010 His Holiness the Dalai Lama also stressed on the importance of such projects and how they could bring about a significant change in the lives of the poor. In his customary jovial style he also interacted with some of the disabled during his tour of the camp and its various departments.
Over 100 technical personnel ably assisted by over 150 volunteers from USA, UK and India toiled for over 14 to 16 hours every day but were amply rewarded to see the smiles on those who could walk on their own artificial limbs or the elderly who could now hear what they could earlier only see. The many disabled who got tricycles had their dreams come true as they could now attend schools and colleges, go for work or pursue some vocation.
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| The world’s largest mobility camp was inaugurated by the Honourable Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Narendrabhai Modi |
| |
Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust, Mumbai in association with and supported by several National and International organizations as well as other well wishers had organized a Mega Mobility Camp for rehabilitation of the physically challenged and hearing impaired at Palitana, in the Bhavnagar district of Gujarat.
The camp stretched over an 18 day period from the 23rd of December, 2009 to the 9th of January, 2010 and was the largest humanitarian project of its kind in the world.
Set up in an over 100,000 square feet of specially erected pandal and auditorium the camp drew an unprecedented response and rehabilitated 16,760 orthopaedically handicapped and another 11,789 hearing impaired thus giving a new lease of life to 28,549 poorest of the poor disabled of Bhavnagar and adjoining districts.
The orthopaedically handicapped beneficiaries got free Callipers for the polio afflicted, Jaipur foot for the amputees, Splints and braces as well as Tricycles, Wheelchairs, Crutches and Walkers. The uniqueness of the project was that a patient who came to the camp in the morning was screened, measured and the prosthetic fabricated and fitted by early evening when the patient left for home in free vehicles provided by Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust.
The hearing impaired patients underwent an audiology test in a custom made mobile van and were given appropriate hearing aids.
The inauguration of the camp by the Honourable Chief Minister of Gujarat created an awareness in official circles of the need for aids and appliances amongst the poor disabled and would influence public policy in this regard. In his inaugural speech Shri Narendrabhai Modi also stressed on the need for such humanitarian projects through Public/Private Partnership efforts.
While blessing the camp on Sunday 3rd January, 2010 His Holiness the Dalai Lama also stressed on the importance of such projects and how they could bring about a significant change in the lives of the poor. In his customary jovial style he also interacted with some of the disabled during his tour of the camp and its various departments.
Over 100 technical personnel ably assisted by over 150 volunteers from USA, UK and India toiled for over 14 to 16 hours every day but were amply rewarded to see the smiles on those who could walk on their own artificial limbs or the elderly who could now hear what they could earlier only see. The many disabled who got tricycles had their dreams come true as they could now attend schools and colleges, go for work or pursue some vocation.
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