I) INTRODUCTION

It is a well known but little acknowledged fact that of all the humanity the worst hit are the mentally challenged because the intellectual impairment poses greater challenges than other disabilities.

The lives of these people cannot be improved by making token monetary contribution or by mere lip sympathy. The need of the hour is to accept them as an integral part of the society showering on them an abundance of love and affection by making sincere efforts to understand their world. While human concern is an essential element in dealing with such children, it is equally important to help them “to help themselves” through proven methods of learning mainly concerning cleanliness, basic behavior patterns, elementary reading and writing, participation in sports, music, dance, arts and crafts etc. All these will enhance their learning capabilities. This needs specially trained professionals with right attitude, an abundance of patience and the will to transform ideas into action.

The other need is the services of specialists like neurologists, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, general physicians, physio therapists, speech and audiologists etc for necessary training and also to undertake research for better living conditions of Intellectually challenged.