Re-creating Happiness

Located on Kumthekar Road,the recreation centre is fully equipped and also gives free entry to physically challenged students who are not associated with NAWPC. Besides indoor games like playing cards,computer games,puzzles and carrom,it also offers outdoor games like cricket with a special ball for the visually challenged. “Generally in normal public places like theatres or gardens,such people are either ill-treated or are shown sympathy,both of which are not needed. Here they can be themselves and unwind with alike people,” says Deshmukh. Spread in area of 500 sq ft,the recreation centre also has a television set installed.

The reason for setting up NAWPC lies in the year 1999,when a visually challenged Deshmukh,launched an association called Snehankit Association for the Non-Seeing Friends (SANSF). “A lot of people,however,advised me to do something for the physically challenged too,so I established NAWPC in 2008,” says Deshmukh. Last year Deshmukh launched a digital library for the visually challenged under Snehankit wherein students have access to around 300 books converted into the MP3 format.

These days 22-year-old Dasaram Sadashiv Rane looks forward to his everyday visit to the centre where he spends a minimum of two hours daily playing chess,carrom and also hearing news on the television. Pursuing his third year Bachelor of Arts from Modern College,he feels that the centre will help in the development of their personality in the coming years. Another regular visitor here is Gyaneshwar Vasant Gaikwad,a first year BA student of Fergusson College. Gaikwad lost his eyesight when he was seven-years-old. He plans to pursue a career in computer programming. He says,“I spend nearly five to six hours here everyday,and my friend circle has grown after I started frequenting the centre. The best part is that it provides a good balance of outdoor and indoor games. While the former gives a good exercise to your brain,the latter keeps you physically fit.”

Deshmukh feels that besides giving entertainment,the recreation centre will also facilitate the students to gain confidence and get a feeling of oneness. In the future he plans to take the project further ahead by adding other features and appeals to the society to come forward and help in whatever way they can.