Karuna Speech and Hearing School for the Deaf is a Special School
for the Hearing impaired, situated near Eranhipalam By-pass Road Calicut in
Kerala.
It was in the mid-seventies that the Rotary Club of Calicut contemplated
ways and means to impart help and support to the Hearing impaired children
in North Kerala. The medical camps conducted by the Club revealed the sorry
plight of this group. The Rotary club, headed by then President Mammen
Mathew (Managing Director, Malayala Manorama), the Secretary, K.A Rasheed
and the community project Director Dr.Sekhar Bagchi, first approached
Fr.Vergottini.S.J, the mentor and guiding power behind St.Vincent group of
institutions for help. Through him, the club approached the Italian religious
Congregation “Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy” at Poomala, Sulthan’s
Bathery and invited them over to Calicut to set up their institution.
The Diocese of Calicut donated a plot of 70 cents and the Rotary
club of Calicut constructed the building and provided necessary basic facilities.
The trainer machines that were used for teaching the Hearing impaired was
purchased with funds received from the Mother house (Italy), the Rotary Club
and Inner wheel clubs and other patrons of Calicut.
On May 14th 1980, the school was inaugurated by Mrs.Jyothi
Venkatachellam, the then Governor of Kerala.
“Karuna” – a word that literally means “Mercy” is at the time a
word that carries with it a whole lot more. ‘Karuna’ encompasses care,
compassion kindness, forgiveness and the whole lot of expressions that give
meaning to the acts of charity and service. It is little wonder that the name
‘Karuna’ was proposed by Mammen Mathew (the then President of Rotary
Club), which is the Malayalam translation of the word “Mercy”- the charism of
Daughters of Our Lady Mercy.
At present Hundred and Fifty students are studying here. Every year we
get 100% success in S.S.L.C and H.S.S Examination. Sr. Agnes Kizhakkedath is the present
co-operative Manager Sr.Alice is the present HM and Sr Rani is the Local
managerof the school.
