Hari Babu, 66, Secunderabad, supports special kids

 
Trekking with Hari Babu and his son Krishna Teja to Pragati, a school for the mentally challenged in the Alwal area of Secunderabad, is a one-of-a-kind experience. Teja (in the blue checked shirt), at 32 years of age, talks little but smiles profusely. Suffering from Down syndrome, he is genuinely happy to shake hands with kids at the school, many of whom are familiar faces as he’s a regular visitor. As for the 66 year-old father, who has brought up Teja singlehandedly, with his wife being bedridden, these are the little moments he treasures, seeing his son happy in the company of kids. When Teja was born in 1984, Babu quit his Central Government job to set up Bhagavathi Ana Labs—an environment engineering company that employs 400 people—in Hyderabad. Later, he opened an organic store, named after his son, where he has over 150 youngsters with intellectual and learning disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome working in the packing section. Babu also runs an NGO, Sai Krishna Teja Foundation (SKTF), which provides medical help for kids in 17 special schools across the city. Every Sunday, the foundation takes doctors to these schools for a routine medical check-up. Established in 2005, SKTF has helped over 7,000 kids so far. “We have been supported by Hari Babu for the past five years. He helps us financially as well as emotionally,” says Rajyalaksmi Chunduri, the headmistress of Pragati. “It’s amazing to see him support so many schools and kids.” The foundation also pays for Botox treatment and surgery for kids with cerebral palsy. Nine year-old Kavya is one such child who is now able to stand on her feet. The foundation’s support is not just limited to medical check-ups and treatment—it often sponsors the education of poor children and pays the rent for school buildings. “We look after medical treatment, rehabilitation of the mentally challenged and funding required for the day-to-day functioning of special schools,” says Babu. “However, there is so much more to do.” His dream is to set up an integrated township on the outskirts of the city with not just hostels for special kids but a hospital, canteen and vocational training centres to empower them. As for his own son, Babu has ensured that Teja can go to the store by himself and live independently in a flat.

—Text & Photo: Shyamola Khanna

Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
April 2017