Mithu Alur
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Dr. Mithu Alur |
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Dr. Mithu Alur at the North South Dialogue IV, Goa in February, 2012
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| Born |
Shoma Bose 27 March 1943 Kolkata, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Educator, Disability Rights Activist, Researcher, Writer, Published Author |
| Years active | 1972 – present |
| Organization | ADAPT - Able Disable All People Together |
| Known for | Starting services for people with disability in India |
| Spouse(s) | Sathi Alur |
| Children | Malini Chib, Nikhil Chib |
| Website | www |
Mithu Alur (born 27 March 1943) usually referred to as Dr. Mithu Alur, is the founder chairperson of The Spastic Society of India - now rechristened ADAPT - Able Disable All People Together, educator, disability rights activist, researcher, writer and published author on issues concerning people with disability in India.
She is a pioneer in the care and education of people with Neuro-Muscular and Developmental Disabilities, like cerebral palsy, autism, down syndrome and mental retardation. After her daughter Malini Chib was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, she realised that the care of people with conditions like her daughter was non-existent in India. Hence she trained in England and started the Spastics Society of India (SSI) in 1972. Many parents and friends of people with disability in India took inspiration and training from her and her institute to start respective spastics’ societies in different states and today independent Spastic societies exist in 16 states in India with outreach to many rural areas as well.
Dr. Mithu Alur was born and raised in Kolkata. She did her higher education in Delhi in Miranda House. She acquired a bachelor's degree in English Literature from the University of Delhi in 1963. In 1965, she married Ranjit Chib. A year later Malini Chib was born.
Malini was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Finding that no proper school for children with disabilities exited in India, in 1968 she trained as a teacher in the field of Special Education at the Institute of Education (IOE), University of London.
Back home in India, she wanted to open a school in Mumbai, and contacted the then Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi. Mrs. Gandhi asked her to get in touch with actress, Nargis Dutt. Nargis Dutt became the first patron of ‘The Spastics Society of India’ (SSI), which formally started on 2 October 1972
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