From Founder’s Desk

By Dr. Anil Kumar Bansal
Founder, Disha Special School

People often spend a lifetime searching for a purpose. Some find it through their profession, some through service, and some through circumstances they never expected.

For parents of children with special needs, that purpose often comes in a different way.

When my son was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, like any parent, I had many questions. As an orthopaedic surgeon, I understood the medical aspects of disability. As a father, I had to understand something very different—the everyday realities of raising a child with special needs.

In 1995, when we looked for educational support, we realised that there was no special school serving children with developmental disabilities in Western Uttar Pradesh. Families had very limited options. Many children remained at home, not because they lacked potential, but because there was simply nowhere they could receive appropriate education and training.

Disha Special School was established to address that need.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of meeting hundreds of parents. Their backgrounds are different, but many of their experiences are remarkably similar. Every family faces uncertainty in the beginning. They worry about their child’s future, education, independence and acceptance in society.

What I have also observed is that, with time, many parents discover strengths within themselves that they never knew they possessed. They become patient teachers, determined advocates and lifelong learners. They celebrate achievements that others may overlook, and in doing so, they develop a different perspective on success.

These children also have a way of changing the people around them. They teach us that development is not a race. Every child progresses at a different pace, and every small step deserves recognition.

Looking back over more than three decades, I have come to believe that parents of special children are entrusted with a unique responsibility. It is not an easy responsibility, but it is certainly a meaningful one.

I often say:

“Lucky are the people who get a chance to live for a cause or have some purpose in life. Parents of these special children have been given a purpose by God Himself.“

This statement should not be understood as denying the difficulties. The challenges are real. There are emotional, financial and social demands that every family experiences.

But when we begin to look beyond the challenges, we often find something equally real—a deeper sense of purpose.

Our responsibility extends beyond our own children. Every informed parent who shares their experience helps another family. Every child who receives appropriate education changes how society understands disability. Every step towards inclusion makes life easier for the next generation.

That has been the guiding philosophy behind Disha Special School since its inception.

Our objective has never been limited to educating children. It has always been to support families, create opportunities for every child to reach their potential, and help society recognise ability where it once saw only disability.

My son gave me a reason to begin this journey. The hundreds of children and families who have become part of Disha have given me a reason to continue it.

Purpose does not always arrive in the way we imagine.

Sometimes, it arrives holding a child’s hand.