Thiramayin Thissaiyyil, the popular radio programme, gives disabled people a voice
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COMMENTS 
Produced by Ability Foundation, in association with All India Radio, Chennai, this pioneering radio programme focuses on the advocacy of disability-related issues and dissemination of information to disabled people
"Thiramayin Thissaiyyil is a superb programme. I listened to Revathy's voice last week! What a change of direction it gave my life! And to think I'd even contemplated suicide! Now I sincerely believe `I Can' too! My name is Sumathi. I am 20 years old. I've extreme low vision right from birth and will progressively become totally blind. I've studied only upto 9th Standard. If I go in for vocational training or a telephone operator's training, will people really consider me for employment? You say the government can and must help. Where do I begin? This is really going to be my first attempt to gain independence and I owe it to your radio programme. As you say, I should face problems in the future and not run away from them."
-- Letter from Sumathi, Sivaganga district
Thiramayin Thissaiyyil (In the Direction of Abilities) is the first programme of its kind in India. Produced by Ability Foundation, in association with All India Radio, Chennai, this pioneering initiative focuses on the advocacy of disability-related issues and dissemination of information to all disabled people; also parents of children with disabilities.
`You've given a new role to the radio!' some say. `Do we really have rights?' others ask. 'What is this Persons with Disabilities Act?' people enquire. 'Are there really normal schools that will accept our children?' many parents want to know. 'Identity cards! Whatever for?' still more write in. 'Can you get us tri-wheelers?' 'Jobs?' 'Justice?' Letters, telephone calls...an endless stream!
"When Ability Foundation decided to launch this radio programme, and determinedly went about making it possible, we had not really realised the magnitude of the responsibility and the kind of astounding response it would invoke," says a deeply touched Jayshree Raveendran, founder-director of Ability Foundation and editor of the country's first cross-disability magazine, Success & Ability.
Launched in July 2002, and broadcast every Thursday morning at 8.30 am on Chennai A, the novel capsule is relayed by AIR stations in Trichy, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tirunelveli and Pondicherry. Thiramayin Thissaiyyil can be heard all over the country, on shortwave. It attempts to bridge the gap between the lack of information on the one hand and, on the other, the widespread need for guidance, counselling and information about disability issues, knowledge and implications of the government's schemes and policies, and services of institutions and NGOs.
All these and more form the gist of the programme's contents. The key factor is awareness. The objective is to seek out disabled people, affected families, teachers, policymakers and "all socially sensitive individuals who care". Says Raveendran, "Thiramayin Thissaiyyil has created much more than a ripple. We had not quite envisaged the power of the radio, its sweeping reach! We want to inform, to inspire, to interest, to comfort, to counsel. We want to bring into society people who have never been a part of it. This is empowerment through one of the most powerful and important fundamental rights -- the Right to Information."
The programme is lively and full of positive optimism. An interesting feature is Revathy's Helpline (Neengal Ketta Kelvi -- 'Questions You Have Asked') where South Indian actress/social activist Revathy Menon, who is also an executive committee member of Ability Foundation and has a profound interest in and involvement with the disability sector, provides emotional support and answers commonly-asked questions on a wide range of disability-related issues. Then there are interviews with experts in the field, parents of children with disabilities, visiting dignitaries from other parts of the country and so on. Inspirational information is also available (Theriyuma Ungalukku -- 'Did You Know?') on happening events in the disability sector which seek to motivate and inspire listeners.
Raveendran asks: "The overwhelming response to this, which can be seen from the letters, phone calls and e-mails pouring in so far, is testimony to the dearth of awareness and paucity of information on disability issues. It's seven years since the Persons with Disabilities Act was passed -- and people are not even aware of its existence! And let me tell you that 75% of these letters are from comparatively forward towns in Tamil Nadu, like Madurai, Salem and Trichy. If this is so, dare we think of the remote rural regions? When is the networking and strengthening of hands that we have been talking about for the last so many years going to become a possibility?"
Hopefully soon. Thiramayin Thissaiyyil is going strong after 60 weeks of being on the air. Its 50th episode featured ace director Mani Ratnam. The programme has brought in government officials, heads of institutes, disability activists, planners, potential employers, human rights activists, celebrities from all walks of life, doctors, counsellors, educationalists and inspiring role models.
In a letter, the chief executive of Prasar Bharathi, K S Sarma writes: "I would like to place on record my appreciation of your contribution in mounting such an innovative and socially relevant programme."
There are more than 70 million disabled people in India. The Persons with Disabilities Act 1995 envisions an enabling environment and equal opportunities for them to participate without barriers in mainstream society. But, says Raveendran, "Our main population continues to remain in ignorance about the existence of the Act itself. Much has to be done in this regard. Such is the popularity of the programme that Ability Foundation now has several requests to translate it into other languages as well. We hope to work on this shortly."
Contact: Ability Foundation
12, Fourth Main Road
Gandhi Nagar
Adyar
Chennai 600020
Tel: 91-44-24452400
Tel/Fax: 91-44-24413013
E-mail:
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--Lalitha Sridhar
(Lalitha Sridhar is a Chennai-based journalist)
InfoChange News & Features, September 2003