Pranay- The inspiration behind Inspiration & the new Inspiration- Nav Prerna Foundation

Tomorrow,hardly an hour later,is the 9th of September- my son-Pranay's Birthday !

This day,always rakes up mixed feelings- I feel so happy to have this wonderful soul, who has gently, but steadily steered me into whatever I am doing today !But at the same time it brings back memories of my stupidity- that I did not rush to the hospital- due to heavy rains. And- when I did- it was already late - as he was under distress !I was rather over-confident- as my uncle was Kolkata's topmost gynecologist, and his team of friends had been monitoring my progress.

I suffered distress at his birth, late night- 26 years back- on this day. The asphyxiation led to his 15 days stay in ICU- due to epilepsy after 24 hours of birth. Then again, when he was 4 years old - he had two epileptic episodes in the same month- which culminated in loss of speech,hyperactivity, aggression &a whole gamut of symptoms, where he was sliding into autism !

"Necessity is the mother of Invention!" So when he was refused admissions in 42 schools in Delhi - I decided to give up my lucrative job as Senior Biology teacher & later as Principal of a newly started residential school in south Delhi .  I started the Prerana Special School in Vikaspuri, West Delhi,in our own flat !

Then there was no looking back! We are known for our services- getting special kids from the low income group- in order to help that section of society who are always neglected and ignored by the government and society !

After 10 years of running the Delhi Centre, we decided to start the residential Group  Home in Dehra Dun. By that time I had already visited the USA twice & the then Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment- selected me to visit Japan to see their social welfare sector. That was the turning point in my life- as I saw 90 year old mothers there - running organisations for the special persons! 

I came back fully recharged to take the next giant leap - to starttheGroup Home. By that time Pranay was 17 - Tilaknagar was getting too noisy and cramped for him- I had to plan fast to get him out of Delhi.

That's when I got the offer from Mr. Dang-owner of Inderlok Hotel,and Director of Doon Girls' School-to come & stay in his sprawling garden house in Dalanwala , Dehra Dun. 

So that was my entry into Dehra Dun,and beginning of the Dehra Dun Centre!