Sonam Diki Dolma Bhutia
The Awakening
A story to be told about a journey in the capital of a small State of Sikkim, one of the sister states of the North-East. While travelling to work in my college bus sometimes, I had noticed a lady travelled with her son and regularly getting down near Hidden Forest area Sichey, Gangtok, East Sikkim, the bus driver was kind enough to give them free ride everyday and my co colleague often offered the boy with sweets and school supplies, but I somehow didn’t notice the suffering the lady was going through.
One afternoon, while I was driving back from work through the same route, I saw the lady walking with her son heading back home, as they had missed the college bus return timing. So that day I gave them a lift back home with me.
They sat in the back seat of my car, and suddenly, the lady spoke, “Ma’am, I need your help” I thought she would ask for money, but she proceeded further. Ma’am, I don’t know how to proceed with my son’s birth certificate, as I have to get him transferred to another school in Darjeeling, and for a scholarship, I require his birth certificate.
Further, she informed that he was born out of wedlock, and after he was born, her so-called partner went into hiding, leaving her behind with a baby, who couldn’t talk or hear,” said Saswati, the woman with a son with disabilities resettled at the Tadong area in Gangtok, East Sikkim.
So, that marked my introduction with this single woman who was fighting with all the authorities possible for her son’s birth certificate, as she didn’t have any proper document to show her birth date of her son. Her struggle as a mother to pursue the certificate for her differently-abled son, for the reason of availing better education, gave me the urge to read more about the Disability laws and furthermore reason to understand the process of availing the birth certificate for this boy, as it was his birthright.
The Door-to-Door Struggle Was a Truth
So, the struggle for availing the birth certificate for the boy began, as the lady had no papers of vaccination or any other documents to support her application for the certificate, the struggle was more difficult, but I must say, with the kind support of School staff, SDM, East Gangtok, and School Education, Department of the State, after months of perusal and door-to-door running, the certificate was obtained. But the process of obtaining a certificate for a child who was left behind by the father after his birth was a herculean task.
As, I practiced as an advocate in the lower court of Sikkim for a while and my legal knowledge was bit of a help, but the Hercules here in the story was my husband, who also an employee in DC office, East District, played a pivotal role, as he had to sign a declaration wherein he took the risk of even losing his job, if at all the certificate was used for any fraudulent work.
Further, he believing that I was adamant to get the certificate anyhow for the child, he had to play the role and gave in, I thank him for his push as for him, this child after availing the certificate now studies in a school in Salvation Army, Gandhi Road, Darjeeling, Home and School for the Deaf, wherein the admission wouldn’t be possible without the birth certificate.
Applicability of the Teachings of Buddha
The teaching of Buddha,” Unending patience for light (situation will improve). Be your own light, (Appo Deepo Bhava), Lord Buddha’s last words”. So, I would say, the lady (mother) always believed that she could fight for her child and she wanted to be the light for her child to walk through a basic right that’s to be educated and who else can be more fearful, than a mother of a differently-abled child, wherein normal human beings are uncertain for the future of their normal children and are always stressful over their child’s future.
So, we can very well understand the condition of this single mother of a differently-abled child, the uncertain future of her child hunts her daily and everyday is a fight for this mother, so someone could be a ray of hope for such individual struggling for a better life for her child, if only we really could open our heart to them without judging and supporting them, the world would be a better place to live in for everyone.
Students with disabilities face multiple barriers to education, including physical, technological, systemic, financial, and attitudinal challenges. Often, needed accommodations are delayed, insufficient, or denied, with decisions driven by budget rather than actual needs. Physical barriers such as a lack of ramps, elevators, accessible washrooms, or transportation further limit access. Inadequate funding and the failure of educational providers to address these needs in a timely and appropriate manner continue to restrict equal opportunities, undermining the right to inclusive and accessible education for all.
Empathy Works
As responsible citizens, we need to be more empathetic and open our arms and hearts for people in need of help; moreover, if you are well educated, the effort should be doubled. That’s what I believe: raise a good human being, instead of someone who, in the rat race of competition and moving ahead, forgets the real purpose of life, which should be giving back and living for a purpose.
Globally, fewer than 5% of children with disabilities complete primary school; in India, less than 1% receive formal education. Literacy among disabled individuals is 49%, with women faring worse. Barriers include inaccessible infrastructure, lack of trained teachers, restrictive curricula, stigma, and low expectations. Equal access requires reasonable accommodations, accessible buildings, transport, aids (hearing aids, Braille), teacher training, and curriculum modifications. While Article 21A of the Constitution and the Right To Education Act 2009 guarantee free education for children ages 6–14 years, the Persons With Disability Act, 2016, extends this to age 18, mandating states to provide special teaching, materials, vocational training, and necessary resources for inclusive education.
Acknowledgment(from author): This blog is totally based on the true incident and completed with the help and support of the Saswati Rai mother of Master Urgen who is studying in Salvation Army school at Darjeeling, I also like to thank my husband Mr Sherap Palden Bhutia, DIO, NIC, Gangtok for supporting the cause and all the Govt. Officials of State of Sikkim who helped in this process.
About the contributor: Dr. Sonam Diki Dolma Bhutia is a Sr. Assistant Professor, Law at Sikkim Government Law College, Sikkim. She is a fellow of the YWLPPF 3.0 – Young Women Leaders in Public Policy Fellowship, Cohort 3.0.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
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Acknowledgement: This article was posted by Rashmi Kumari, a research intern at IMPRI.
