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He has a beautiful mind “ Eashan Manguesh Kamat “ the nature-loving youth is spiritually inclined and utterly pious. When asked what is God to you, pat comes his reply “ “God is the only wisdom and that is ‘Sat-Chit-Anand’... delving deeper into the term we derive that it’s a Sanskrit term describing the nature of reality as it is conceptualised in the Yogic philosophy. One may wonder how this profound knowledge comes to this young man who has a disability named ‘autism’! Eashan’s meditative nature is probably the answer.
Speaking on behalf of 28-year-old Eashan his parents Maya and Manguesh share the journey of his academic career, and elaborate on how and why parents have to play a major role in shaping the life of a child who has autism. Accepting the challenges this brave couple have stood strongly besides Eashan who could graduate, unlike any person with intellectual disability like autism where the brain is said to be wired differently. Eashan is a Bachelor in Computer Applications “ a major achievement. He has also worked in an NGO for three years. He spends time creatively “ either painting or doing Papier Mache articles. And he confidently walks alone on the streets of Margao.
Maya shares, “Eashan’s disability is autism, because of which he has lot of challenges. During his childhood he was hyperactive, had cognitive developmental disorders; he could not write or read but only see visual inputs and work on them. He had few words. We realised that he could organise himself with the help of visual aid, so we exposed him to computer education at the age of four and through CD games, for maths, science, language, he could cope with learning.”
Now there is lot of professionalism about occupational therapies and various other therapies associated with autism. When Eashan was diagnosed with autism, there was only speech therapy known. Eashan’s parents tried speech therapy, read out books to him. They worked more on motor skills, than forcing him to write. It was only when Eashan could hold a pen and a pencil that writing actually began. Life skills were important. He had to be taught step wise “ eating, drinking, bathing and hygiene.
‘Autism’ was not included in the Disability Act then, so the challenges were many because the government was not recognising autism as a disability. “After being sensitised by the various special schools and many parents like us, the then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who held education portfolio, formulated the education policy, and that’s how this inclusive education policy came into picture wherein people with learning disabilities were given concessions,” Maya recalls.
One certificate from IPHB (Appendix 4) could allow students to answer board exams and get various concessions. A child who cannot write can get a writer. If he has difficulty in reading he has to bring a reader. Also extra time was given to answer the exam, and concessions for certain subjects were allowed. Unlike neuro-typical children, these children get optional subjects in the school.
Eashan went to Manovikas, a private school, which did wonders in bringing out the best in him. The school management, teachers, principal and students “ all were supportive. That boosted him to focus on studies. The school kept an attendant for him without charging extra for this service. Eashan was allowed to attend school without writing on notebooks. He wrote his answers on the board with a chalk. These were great concessions. St Thomas High School, Cansaulim also offered supportive atmosphere. Eashan did his higher secondary at RMS. He graduated from Shree Damodar College of Commerce and Economics.
In autism, social behaviour is a challenge. It’s a lifelong process which does not stop anywhere, Maya explains. But Eashan’s motivation is he himself. At times when he had no contact with the outer world, he wanted to survive and sustain. To live was his urge, his motivation.
A down-to-earth person, Eashan is a unique case. Most students with intellectual disabilities drop out after 10th or 12th and most of them are in special schools. Eashan was in a regular school throughout his school and college years. These educational institutes displayed inclusiveness which helped him bloom and blossom.
Eashan’s mantra in life is “ ‘Hum Honge Kamayaab’ and what motivates him the most is ‘Success’. People with autism which is intellectual disability do not have their own voice. Maya is training Eashan towards self-advocacy but there is still lack of functional communication in him “ like asking for things, saying no to certain things, or complex communication. But the Kamats have overcome and won life’s most difficult challenges.
And here Eashan is “ at a juncture where the community has to step in. The government has to take note of Eashan, as a citizen, and offer him a suitable job that allows him to live independently. Not because the parents don’t want to continue supporting him, but because he has a strong will to support his parents, when they grow old. It is a social responsibility to include Eashan in the larger community and make him feel at home in the society.
