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CJI-designate given warm welcome

Staff Reporter

K.G. Balakrishnan

KOTTAYAM: For Chief Justice of India (CJI)-designate K.G. Balakrishnan and the people of his home village, Aappaanchira, near here, it was a happy coincidence. A day after his elevation to the august position, he was here to relive the past for a few moments.

Since long, Mr. Balakrishnan has been a "guest" who comes for special occasions to his home village.

However, a pre-planned programme, which was in no way related to the new developments, took him back to his roots at his moment of glory. The occasion was the silver jubilee celebrations of Martha Bhavan Special School at Poozhikkol, near Aappaanchira, run by the Visitation Congregation under the Kottayam Archdiocese of the Syro Malabar Church.

The school authorities had contacted him over a month back.

`Overcome disabilities'

Inaugurating the celebrations, the CJI-designate stressed the need to bring mentally challenged people into the mainstream by helping them to help themselves. Gone are the days when such persons were considered `cursed,' he said. Today, we have a number of special agencies who can help the mentally and physically challenged persons to overcome their disabilities through special education programmes and trainings.

Efforts lauded

Mr. Balakrishnan also lauded the work done by those who chose to take up the cause of the mentally challenged persons, as they need a lot of patience and dedication to bring their wards to self sufficiency. ArchbishopMathew Moolekkattil presided over the function.

Mons Joseph, MLA; Sr. Archana, Principal of the Special School, and others spoke on the occasion.

Earlier, Mr Balakrishnan spent a few moments with his mother and relatives at his brother's house at Aappaanchira before proceeding to the venue for the jubilee celebrations.

The CJI-designate was taken in a procession to the venue.

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