Zaiba Aapa Institute: A Silent Revolution in South Kashmir Bijbehara, Anantnag
Tucked away in the calm village of Semthan, Bijbehara, the Zaiba Aapa Institute of Inclusive Education is a rare space in South Kashmir — a school where children with disabilities are not just taught but empowered.
Founded in 2008 by Padma Shri awardee Javid Ahmad Tak, who is himself a person with a disability, the institute provides Braille learning, sign language, speech therapy, physiotherapy, and computer education for children with special needs. It’s run by the Humanity Welfare Organisation Helpline and functions more on compassion than on funding.
They deserve more than sympathy; they deserve opportunity, says Mr Tak.
In a region where disability is often misunderstood, this school is quietly shaping futures — and proving that ability lies in determination, not the body.
