In Conversation with Valli Srinivasan !
Hello Ms.Valli Srinivasan, Please Introduce Yourself! I'm Mrs. Valli Srinivasan, a Retired teacher by profession. My husband is Mr.Srinivasan, retired & now employed as assessor of new recruits in Reliance Oil Industries, Jamnagar.
I have one daughter Rameshwari @ Ramya,who is in Marketing and sales. I have one grand daughter Ananya.
Well, let us know about your Background.
My native is
Tirunelveli and I came to chennai for studies. We are 4 sisters. One sister
is no more. We three sisters are closely knit.
All are educated, well
settled in different places. I did my schooling in Holy Angels’ Convent. I studied
BSc Zoology in Women's Christian College.
My father Mr.Krishnan
was a police officer (administration) in those days. Mom was a housewife.
Your marriage phase of life?
I got married to Srinivasan in 1977. It was an arranged marriage. We shifted to Mumbai because his work was there.
Mumbai?
Yes! (She smiles) Mumbai was a foreign place to me because I did not know Hindi as I'm from Tamilnadu. I knew to read and write Hindi but speaking was the issue. I learnt from neighbors, maids etc.
When you are put in a place where you have no option other than to learn, you will learn!
How was your Mumbai life on the whole?
It was very fast paced life. People were good and receptive. I was not working that time. Later my daughter was born and life became so busy and we moved to Navi Mumbai.
How was your Motherhood Phase?
To compensate for additional family expenses, I used to take tuition at home for kids. For 16years this phase was going on. We started 'Tamil Sangam' in Navi Mumbai.
Government allotted land for promoting cultural activities. I was actively involved in raising funds, arranging cultural activities. I was joint secretary. We set up Tamil reading library.
How was the reception in Mumbai for Tamil?
They accepted it well and people celebrated all activities like Pongal, Thiruvalluvar Day. We had good Networking.
Any nice memories you would like to recollect on your tenure in Tamil Sangam and Mumbai?
There was my friend called Revathi who was a very dynamic person. She was my mentor. She passed away 3years back.
We shifted to Vizag for 2years and then to Jamnagar in Gujarat due to my spouse's transfer. This is from where my life changed.
Elaborate more on that please.
I joined Reliance School substituting
for a teacher who had gone for maternity leave.Later, I started continuing as a full time teacher there.
Around 2005, during my tenure as a teacher,
I noticed lot of students struggling to read due to Hindi & Gujarati background.
Even normal students had difficulty in reading.I began to analyze the problem.
I started reading, exploring the internet and finally understood that it is
In those days, there
was not much facilities available for this
problem. Only when 'Tare
Zameen par' came, people understood what
dyslexia is.
What was your approach to this problem?
I understood that if you teach those children basic phonics in a systematic way,kids will pick up fast. With the help of my
school principal, we implemented phonics in the KG classes.
What is the prime age that Dyslexia can be shown up and how to identify that?
We say that the child should be taken for further tests if the child cannot read by 3rd standard.
Any other behaviors?
Child
will be very normal and sometimes the kid can have more IQ than normal kids. Symptoms like forming mirror images of letters and numbers, difficulty
in reading, doing math, bad spelling are common.
What are types of Dyslexia are there?
Mainly 3 Categories:
Dyslexia-difficulties in reading,
Dysgraphia- writing issue
Discalculia- Difficulty in doing Math
Who can confirm Dyslexia?
Educational
Psychologist can assess the kid by taking
tests and then confirm the category and severity.
What all the ways in which you tackle this?
- Systematically teach the kids phonics
- You slowly teach them how to read using different techniques
In the span of 3-6months , the child will start to show some progress.
If no or less significant improvement in 6months, we will prescribe audio books for the kids.we give in tapes the recording and the child will listen to it.
Spellings will be mostly wrong. Oral answers will be encouraged.
This is what we have been doing in 'RESOURCE ROOM'.
Resource room?
Dyslexia kids will be in the same class like other students. During the specific period, the kid will come to a room called 'RESOURCE ROOM' where we have games,kinesthetic learning, tactile, touch way of teaching.
We put things in a simple way so that kid will understand better.
What was your role in this?
I together with the
management of the school set up this Resource room.
The principal
Mr.Sundaram sent me to Chennai for Dyslexia training. I used to take workshops for other teachers on how to identify slow learners and
dyslexic students in their class.
We also brought resource persons from Chennai Dyslexia center who trained us more.
We developed the resource room, recruited a child
psychologist,an occupational therapist and a special educator. We also
encouraged parents to help out as part time teachers after giving them
training.
The Resource room
was fully set up & operational because of all our efforts.
Do you have any sweet memories that you would like to share with us from the Resource Room.
There were Siblings from North East. A boy and a girl. Both were not able to read. They were very good in sports. I trained them. They were very nice kids.
What is the role of parents in Dyslexia?
Parents are the kid's first teachers. Their understanding and involvement will aid the child to learn faster and come out of Dyslexia. Try to understand your kids more.
How much % of kids is affected by this?
In a class of 35, I have seen 5 kids having this issue.
Final thoughts about Dyslexia to our readers?
Dyslexia is not a disease or thing to be scared of. It is the way that brain is wired. Through early
identification and proper systematic training and parent's understanding, the child
can learn to cope with Dyslexia soon.
Well, we all know that you are a Social activist. Please let us about that phase.
My husband retired in 2012
, I shifted to Bangalore as my daughter
got settled here in Bangalore.
In 2016, One day I got a pamphlet in newspaper about Plastic Ban in Karnataka.
In 2016, One day I got a pamphlet in newspaper about Plastic Ban in Karnataka.
Bellandur people were
involved in implementing this.
I went to attend the
meeting. Most of the people were from the IT field.This is when I came to know
about the group called 'kasamuktha Bellandur'.
Please explain us about 'Kasamuktha Bellandur'
KasaMuktha
campaign started with a vision to manage our solid waste at ward level and to send only 5% to landfills.By managing
our waste responsibly we are not only being eco friendly but also being humane
to people who handle waste.
A few of
the volunteers of Kasamukta were part of the group who developed the concept
called 2Bin1Bag. This
was for Waste Segregation.
I
made lot of contacts and good networking in Kasamukta.This is a group of purely citizen volunteers. We worked with BBMP.
More details about this?
I suggest pls go though below link.http://www.2bin1bag.in/
In what all areas you are involved ?
Along with Kasamukta, I was involved in Implementing Plastic Ban, Waste
Segregation, door to door campaign, working with BBMP officials for proper
garbage pick up, ,educating people,sessions in various
apartments through their association, visiting shops explaining the
hazardous effect of using Plastic.
We
used to visit Mustering point and check whether vehicles are properly
handling
garbage.You met any rural or uneducated people and how was their understanding on this social cause?
Yes,
we did try in slum areas. They listen to all our
explanations and keep doing what they want to do.Most don't understand at all.
Majority feel its useless work. Lack of education
makes them feel that what they do is right.
Tell us about 'Kare Habba' or 'Lake festival'?
I'm also involved in 'Kere
Habba' which is organized to generate funds for the Maintenance of Lakes. Kaikondrahalli Lake is one
of the best maintained lakes in Bangalore by an organisation called 'MAPSAS'. I used to do voluntary work. They have Annual Habba. Various
events will be organized to raise funds and that will be used to maintain the
lake.
Who are all more active as a part of these groups?
Majorly IT crowd.
Their passion is Environment. They do spend their weekends on these social and
noble causes.
They work to take up
matters like poor infrastructure to the civic bodies, devise composting methods
and work with destitute women and children. Many of them were instrumental in
arranging relief during the floods in Chennai, Kerala and Kodagu.
You want to name them?
Malini parmar, Smitha,
Seema Das, Lalitha, Archana, Seema Sharma.. so many of them.
A few of them belong to SWMRT- Solid Waste Management Round table. We meet BBMP officials, MLAs to insist funding and better waste management.
A few of them belong to SWMRT- Solid Waste Management Round table. We meet BBMP officials, MLAs to insist funding and better waste management.
How is the interest of politicians in all these initiatives?
Not
very encouraging. It is an ongoing process to explain our work to them. They say lack of funds always. BBMP is a civic
body and it is supposed to take care of this garbage disposal but initiative is
not there. Lack of interest is also there.They say we will do but they will not
do. We also hear 'No money and they keep postponing things'.
Explain us something about wastes!
We can categorise waste as
dry waste, wet waste hazardous waste (rejects), e-waste and counstruction
debris.
Dry waste is valuable.
It can be recycled.
There are 74
categories of Dry waste. Example:paper, cardboard etc..
Wet waste can be
composted and given to farmers.
Reject waste like
medical disposables, Sanitary napkins etc goes as landfills.
We emphasize now to
reduce Reject waste.
Anything that uses
batteries and electricity to work is e-waste. This has to be disposed
responsibily to vendors who will deal with it in a scientific manner.
Material that is left
after construction or after breaking buildings is construction debris.
This has to be sent to
special vendors who recycle it.
Tell us one simple way so that we can reduce Reject waste?
Ladies- Start using cups instead of Sanitary Napkins. This is the trend now. Cost of a very good quality cup is around 850-1000INR but it will come for 10years. It is also helpful, handy, easy to use when you go out. Not only for environment, Sanitary pads are hazardous to health in many ways.
Cups are made of Silicon- a different form of sand and is not allergic. Many women have started changing to cups.
Where to buy or know more about cups?
You can visit https://stonesoup.in/ if you want more details on the cups, compost bags and other products.What all bare minimum things that we can do at home to be environment friendly? please suggest for our viewers.
As far as Bengaluru is concerned,
- All citizens should segregate their garbage well. (2Bin1Bag. Wet,Dry, Reject waste)
- Ewaste should be collected separately and given to appropriate vendors.
- Construction Debris should be segregated separately and if treated properly it can be converted back to construction material.
- Take your own bag when you go to shop.
- One use disposables should be avoided as much as one can.
- DO NOT USE PLASTIC.
One use disposables are only blocking sewage systems. Remember one thing; what
we give to Mother Earth, Mother Earth will give it back to You! Do Good &
Get Good!
We say we live in Silicon Valley of India? Is it really like that? what is your stake on that?
We lack in Basic Infrastructure. We have formed a group called KDF- kasavanhalli Development Forum. I'm also a member of that. We are trying to talk to officials to make things happen.
What is your request to public from KDF?
People expect others to do things for them. What we expect is, Public Support through Media and Social Network like Twitter, Facebook etc..
Public participation is required in all these things to make it success. We should make use of Technology for our benefit.
Public participation is required in all these things to make it success. We should make use of Technology for our benefit.
What is the awareness needed in the current society now?
Choose your leaders properly. That is the most needed thing now. Do not blindly vote for 'Big'political party rather see individual candidate's ability and elect them.
When you are vote for corporator, see who can fight for your rights, who is invloved in social activities and select people appropriately for your ward.
Garbage, Roads,Electricity is under Corporator. Corporator should only get these things done for us. He is invloved with BBMP, civic body.
When you come to MLA,
he is at Zone level.
MLC- Legislative Council has people who can make laws. All Graduates
should enroll as graduate voters to elect graduates to the Legislative Council.
Know the right people&their responsibilities.
What other groups are there in Urban Bangalore? If anybody wants to join any cause, whom should be contacted?
Every area now, there are groups working and its voluntary.
Sarjapur road, Haralur road- SPARSH, KDF, Bellandur Jyotike, Lake Group, Tree Planting Group, Destitute women saving groups - many are there.
Did you face any threats while doing these many social works?
We do get threats. When we go for streamlining garbage, we face threats from many people. They take our personal records, make anonymous phone calls.
How do you face that?
We Go ON because we are a STRONG GROUP and citizens support us.
What makes you GO at this age? Tell us your secret!
Urge to do something to the society. When I do something good and people are happy, it gives me lots of enthusiasm and makes me run faster.
How is your family support in all these things?
They neither encourage nor discourage at the same time they don't trouble me much! (She Laughs)
One Last thing, Do you have any idea to come to politics?
No! Not at all!
Bloggers Note:
I know Ms. Valli personally and she is my family friend. She is One of the very few broad minded old aged people I have ever seen in my life.
Thank you Valli aunty for this awesome Interview.
We also learnt that in Old age too we can go to any heights!
How was your spouse support in all the phases of life?
(7th min)
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