Late Capt Jayanta Sengupta (retd), Siliguri, an War-Blind who left an indelible mark in empowering children with special needs with education and adventure sports: a Homage by Hena Basu 2019

This is an old photo of SVH's nature Camp for Blind children hosted at Lataguri jointly with Himalayan Nature & Adventure Foundation. I think it was held at Panchavati resorts, Lataguri courtesy Bacchubhai where one afternoon Jayantada and Ritaboudi visited and encouraged the vision impaired participants. The child is Sayeba, daughter of an impoverished migrant labor educated at Prerana Centre for Disabled Children, Siliguri managed by them. Sayeba must have finished her postgraduation now!

13 March 2019

This morning while arranging shelves of our SVH(Society for the Visually Handicapped, Kolkata) ink-print books this brochure on late Captain Jayanta Sengupta (retd) of Indian Army popped up. I felt it so relevant in the current situation of the country and thought of posting it here in SVH blog.

To many of us Jayantada remains a constant source of inspiration and his wife Rita Sengupta too has an equal contribution in spreading education empowerment to children with special needs in north Bengal starting from a scratch.

Jayantada lost his vision while fighting for the country in the Indo-Pak War but I have a feeling he lost vision which was a great personal loss for him and his family but as is said of Mon Louis Braille, he has taught and guided many many sighted people to make the best of their skills!

Jayantada, you are ever alive in our mind!

Also as you will see in the photo Jayantada's daughter got married to Gopal, a resident of Siliguri, who also lost his vision in the Kargil war! It shows what a cost people are forced to pay due to war-mongering of politicians.