ANBAGAM INSTITUTION FOR MENTALLY RETARDED

ANBAGAM, the Home of Love and Friendship, was founded in Madurai, INDIA, in1970 by Dr. Manuel A. Thangaraj and his wife, Mrs. Mary Thangaraj, with the help of concerned citizens, the Governments of India and Tamilnadu and International Relief Agencies. It was inspired by Suresh Bernard Thangaraj, their mentally retarded son (who was born with Downs' Syndrome), and by the great need for such an institution in Madurai and surrounding areas. ANBAGAM is governed by an inter-faith Governing Council with representation from several communities.		To serve the mentally handicapped children and promote their full development, irrespective of race, caste, creed and community To train these children in the practical activities of daily living and help them become useful citizens To provide a home for unwanted or destitute children who are mentally retarded To train personnel for services to disabled children with special needs

ANBAGAM has been helping mentally retarded children through three streams:

Educating them in the ANBAGAM Special School, from age 5 onwards, using appropriate teaching methods and curriculum.
Providing Hands-on workshops and vocational training in Dairy and Poultry farming, Printing Press, Carpentry, Sewing, Weaving, etc.
Training teachers in Special Education in SBT College. The teachers get hands-on experience at ANBAGAM and once they graduate, go on to teach disabled children at other institutions.
At present, there are 155 children enrolled in the school: 48 day scholars and 107 boarders. 98 of the students pay fees ranging from Rs 60 to Rs. 500 per month, based on the financial situation of their family. The others are supported through grants and charitable donations. ANBAGAM has been given the 80G exemption by the Govt. of India, which makes donations tax deductible (50%), as per the 80G rules. It costs Rs. 500 ($12) per month to support a child at ANBAGAM. The fees charged only cover a portion of the cost, and the rest has to be made up through donations, grants and income from vocational programs. Against an annual recurring expenditure of Rs. 25 lakhs, the fees collected are only Rs. 3 lakhs.
ANBAGAM, SBT College and its founders have won several awards and have received national and international recognition for their efforts. Details are provided on the AWARDS page. Highlights of the awards include the Shree Ratna award, Rama Kamal Sinha Memorial Medal, State Award for Best teacher, State Award for Service to the Mentally Retarded, Rotary Award, Nimbakar Award, Rehabilitation Council of India award for Special Education and Rolling Shield for Best Institution for the Disabled. ANBAGAM children have also won several medals at the State Level in the Special Olympics for the Disabled.