Prakhar
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Writing to the President of India about TISA - 2006/06/08 07:18
Dear All,
Keith and I have been discussing various ways of expanding our project, and to give it a much needed kick-start. In that context…. Some days back it occurred to me, whether we should mention our project to our President (Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam). It’s just an idea, and we need to know what you all think on this. That is the reason why I am posting it here, for discussion.
We can start of writing to him about how stuttering effects 1% of the adult population. And India, with its enormous population has so many adult stutterers who don’t have any support network --- no centralized base of information about the various treatments available in India. We can also site the examples of how the USA and UK, with their national stuttering organizations are bringing about a change in lives of these people. Also, how these organizations help in dispelling the ignorance about stuttering and raise public awareness. Moreover, these organizations act like extended families to stutterers. A kind of safe haven, where a PWS can find similar people to relate to and draw inspiration and support from them, which in itself is very essential. Furthermore, the more one PWS meets of his kind, the false stigma associated with stuttering gets dissolved, and he/she starts to view stuttering with a different perspective.
I know that the President is a ceremonial head of the state. The real powers are invested with the Prime Minister. However, I have heard Mr. President coming forward to help with social causes. We may also ask for funds, but we need to stress that TISA would remain an independent body. For example like the Public Sector companies, here in India. They were started by the government, but now they have their own independent policy, and are self-supporting entities.
Furthermore, if the President’s office gets involved then we will get the much needed publicity we want. It will be reported in many quarters of the media, and I hope the news would spread far and wide, which will help in more and more Indian PWS taking notice.
I wanted to know of everyone’s opinion on this. Also, please do add suggestion as well as how we should go about it. Any more comments are always welcome.
I look forward to hearing from you all soon.
Thank You,
Prakhar
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Keith
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Re:Writing to the President of India about TISA - 2006/06/08 11:24
hello team,
I really like Prakhar's idea about contacting the President of India. I think within a week or so, he should actually write a draft letter, which we can look at.
Prakhar talked about 1% of the population etc.
My thoughts are that it would give more impact if we talked about an estimated 10 million adults Indian who stammer. Also, I think you should mention an estimated 50 million children in India will begin having speech difficulties.
Question to you all, should this letter be from Prakhar, or from all of you? Although I'm happy to write to members of the Indian government on behalf of ISA and you, this letter to the President of India might have more impact if it is from Indians alone.
We need advice from somebody on how to appoint the initial board of TISA. Your President may have some ideas about this.
Please join in and add your comments and thoughts before Prakhar begins to draft a letter.
Keith
Post edited by: Keith, at: 2006/06/08 12:30
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Keith
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Re:Writing to the President of India about TISA - 2006/06/09 01:49
hello again team,
Do any of you know the correct statistic for the percentage of the illiterate people in India? The reason I'm asking is that with 10 million adults Stammerers, maybe 30 or 40% of them are illiterate. Therefore I assume the only way we could reach them would be TV or radio. Perhaps a brief mention of this would be suitable in the President's letter.
We should also consider this in our publicity campaign when we go public with a website.
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prem
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Re:Writing to the President of India about TISA - 2006/06/14 16:15
Dear Prakhar,
It was nice idea to meet our President as he is very natural man and free minded. When we go like that, we have ask these following things also -
1. Reservations for PWS in India. Because now a days, its highly difficult to win in Interviews. So even private as well as govt sector also we have ask reservations for at least 3%. Because according to my knowledge 3 % are there in India with this problem.
2. Some discount to PWS while they speak on telephone. Because as we know, it take some time to express our feelings.
3. Counselling should give on free to the PWS. For any doctor, speech therapist, etc.
4. We have to develop the communication with other countries those who are PWS to do some business like export and import the goods, etc. So we have to create of our own world/globe to stand on our own legs.
I am sorry if any of my point gives negative meaning.
Thanking you,
Prem Kumar
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Prakhar
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Re:Writing to the President of India about TISA - 2006/06/14 17:51
Dear Prem,
Nice to hear from you, and forget about your comments being ‘negative’ – in fact, they weren’t.  All comments are always welcome!
However, regarding the first two points about reservation and discount on telephone tariffs for PWS; I personally don’t think it is feasible. For the simple reason, there is no way to measure the genuineness of a PWS. Anyone can fake a stutter, in order to avail those privileges. In the absence of any such ‘test’, we can have many fluent people faking a stutter, and exploiting the privileges meant for a ‘disability’ such as stuttering. Furthermore, I don’t think it can either be proved that stuttering is a disability. So, you see Prem, it would very difficult, if at all possible to convince the authorities on that. Just my opinion…
I’d be curios to know what others have to say on this.
Your third point is “Counselling should give on free to the PWS. For any doctor, speech therapist, etc.”
Ok, fine. But, I’d like to know what’d be the arguments in favour of such an appeal?
I have no comments as such on your fourth point.
I hope we do get to hear what others have to say on this.
Best regards,
Prakhar
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