From The President’s Desk

13th Foundation Day

The highlight of December, every year, is our Foundation Day or Annual Day. This year, we celebrated our 13th Annual Day on December 10, 2016. The cultural programme that marks the day was a colourful kaleidoscope, with Friends from the Day School and Autism Centre, and Resident Friends from Marunji and Aswali showcased their talents, presenting skits, songs, dances and a fashion show. The Fashion Show in the bouquet was from the Day School children. This was the first ever performance by Autistic Friends and they put up a brilliant show. Hats off to their teachers and caregivers! Our resident Friends are seasoned performers. Therefore, their performance is minus the stress that comes with going on stage before an invited audience. Dr. Koumudi Godbole, Pediatrician and Geneticist, was the chief guest of the evening. Stressing the need for organisations like ours, she said that Navkshitij is more than mere treatment from the doctors. Mr Ismael Ali from France, through the offices of Planete Urgence, conducted a workshop on Public Relations for my colleagues. He taught them about the power of the social media, how to communicate with visitors, public speaking, and how to give an introduction to Navkshitij in short and yet convey the essence. It was very useful and meaningful experience for my colleagues. 2016 was a happy year for all of us – we finally got land for Navkshitij. For 2017, we look forward to starting the Aswali unit. We are expecting whole-hearted support from all our well-wishers to help us complete this project as early as possible so that we can reach more special friends and their families. I take this opportunity to thank all my colleagues, parents of special friends, well-wishers, volunteers and Trustees. Because of your support we have completed 13 years and moving from milestone to milestone. Wish you all a happy and healthy New Year.

From Paris to Pune, it is just a few steps

FROM Paris in France to Pune in India, it takes only a few steps. Namaskar! I took the steps and crossed the border that I imagined was so far away! Quenenni! I discovered a continent scale country: India, its huge western region of Maharashtra populated with 112 million inhabitants, and the main city of Mumbai. Within three hours by car lies Pune, the 7th biggest city in India and one that reflects what the country has to offer. Pune is a human geography full of colours, religiosity, flavours and fragrances. There is an astounding rhythm of life and work here. At the heart of this perpetual excitement, we can still hear its population breathe. Human beings, metaphysics, and the divine are omnipresent. Respect and dignity are living languages. If life is a gift, existence is a treasure to preserve. Navkshitij, the NGO created by Dr Neelima Desai in 2003, in Pune, is a garden of love and peace for special friends, for young mentally disabled adults, for children with autism who are looking for a place where they can fully express their feelings and tap their potential through sports and arts…….. Thanks to a dedicated team, and with the support of volunteers and generous donors, this Indian NGO shows that happiness is indeed for all. Being happy is not a motto but a reality at Navkshitij. To this family, full of compassion and humanity, I say Dhanyawad! By Ismaël Mohamed Ali, French volunteer, From Planete Urgence.

Upcoming Happenings

• January 14: Makar Sankrant
• January 25: Traffic Awareness Program.
• January 26: Republic Day
• January 28: Monthly Trek

Month’s events

• December 10: Navkshitij Foundation Day (Annual Day)
• December 24: Nilkantheshwar Trek
• December 31: New Year Party

Navkshitij now needs:

• 1 Garden Bench – Approximate cost Rs 9000
• 2-Seater Park Swings – Approximate cost Rs 20000
• Table Tennis set – Approximate cost Rs 20000
• Biometric machine – Approximate cost Rs 15000
• 3 Wall mounting Fan – Approximate cost Rs 2400
• 5 Collar Microphones – Approximate cost Rs 5000
• 2 Washing Machine – Approximate cost Rs 28000
• One Fridge – Approximate cost Rs 30,000

Thank you from Navkshitij to:

• Mr. Abhay Aphale
• Mr. Abhay Khanapure
• Mr. Sharadchandra Banhatti
• Mr. Atul Awari
• Dr. Mahadevi Sirsikar
• Ms. Mrunmayee Rajesh Kharat
• Mr. Siddharth Satpute
• Mr. Sukesh Banthia
• 3DPLM Global Service, Pune.
• Mr. Nitin Patel
• M/S Flextronics Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
• Mr. Satish Kapsikar
• Ms. Geeta Kulkarni
• Sant Nirankari Mandal, Marunji.
• Ms. Mayuri Awad
• Mr. Sunil Nair
• Mr. Vinay Chaudhari

(A monthly newsletter published by Dr. Neelima Desai and edited by Kanaka Cadambi on behalf of Navkshitij)