College students take 55 special kids for a picnic

NAGPUR: The smiles said it all. 55 handicapped students from Snehangan Boarding School run by Matru Sewa Sangh had a happy day out on Thursday when they were taken on a picnic to Raman Science Centre by the students of GH Raisoni College of Commerce, Science and Technology.
The trip was conducted in association with 'Deep ramzan', a fusion of Diwali and Ramzan, that the Raisoni students celebrate every year.The concept behind this celebration is to unite the people of two religion in oneness. This is the sixth year of celebrations.
The excitement was evident on every face. Shruti Khandare, a 13-year-old student, who can't walk due a birth defect in her legs, feels that there is nothing better than an impromptu picnic right after the last examination paper. She is elated as her wish seems to have been fulfilled.
"It was a memorable experience. I thought that due to my disability I would not be able to move around much, as I can only crawl. But a student from Raisoni helped me out and carried me throughout the picnic," chirped a beaming Shruti.
As a part of celebrating 'deep ramzan' student volunteers and teachers took the children on an educational tour to the scientific gallery.
Raisoni students took the children to a planetarium and a prehistoric park on the premises of Raman Science centre and also organized games for them. In addition to the fun and frolic, gifts were also distributed to them at the end of the tour. The students drew a rangoli depicting Bharat mata, while the handicapped children decorated it with lighted diyas along its outline.
12-year-old Pornima Dadure said that this was the best picnic spot she has ever been to. "Everyone was excited when we came to know that we will go after our last paper. We had so much fun and I was thrilled to see the various models at the planetarium" she said.
Another student, Lucky Athavale enjoyed the games thoroughly. "This was a fun learning experience. I also gave a couple of right answers to the quiz questions," he said flashing his prize proudly.
College coordinator, Aarti Deshpande told TOI that every year, they plan something for the underprivileged kids to integrate them into the festive fervour and celebrations.
She informed that last year they distributed gifts to 70-75 orphan children during Diwali.
She informed that these kids though less fortunate, were no different from their urban counterparts. "Through this venture, we wanted to make the disabled children feel that they are not misfits. It is important to bring them on common platform than ostracize them for their disability," she added.