Special features of the organization
With the mission of promoting comprehensive rehabilitation of persons with all categories of disabilities through education, training, employment, community based rehabilitation, integrated education and other innovative means, the organization has emerged the most leading comprehensive NGO in the field. , , Initiated by a group of blind persons during 1954 as a Recreation Club, it is now a large multi-faceted Agency providing a wide range of services to persons with disabilities. The turning top however came during 1976 when the organization decided to professionalize its services. Today the BPA is one of the largest organizations of its kind in Asia. , , Apart from a variety of regular activities, its innovative approaches include a state wise community based rehabilitation project, integrated education, services for special need children including those with deafblind, multiple disabilities, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism and low vision. It has a developed a variety of products and devices under the auspices of the Science & Technology Mission for Persons with Disabilities. It has also established a language lab for teaching of Braille, media electronic Braille literacy project, limb fitting centre, vision stimulation room, world class recording studio, ultra modern Braille production unit, low vision centre, comprehensive eye care unit, Kutch Comprehensive Rehabilitation Centre for providing services to earthquake affected people, a well equipped resource centre and research & development unit. , , Encouraged from performance of organization, the National Trust has established the State Nodal Agency Centre; the Rehabilitation Council of India has established as headquarter of the Zonal Advisory Committee (Western Region). It has also been established as Nodal Agency for State level coordination in the disability sector by the Rehabilitation Council of India as well as by the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment for the implementation of State Level Community Based Rehabilitation Programme. The Director of Voluntary Agencies, Govt. of Gujarat, has recognized it as relief organization. , , It has also applied for renewal of recognitions as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organization by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR); as a training institute by the Rehabilitation Council of India for the training of the teachers and conducting orientation of the PHC Medical Officers, promoting continuing rehabilitation education. , , It has already received a number of Award for its meritorious performance including Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FICCI) Award for Outstanding Placement of the Disabled; State Award for the Placement of Persons with Mental Retardation; National Award for Outstanding Performance in the field of Handicapped Welfare; International Golden Award for Community Development Services Overseas from the Help the Aged International , , It has a very ambitious expansions plan, its forthcoming activities include a well equipped training institute, CBR Project for Persons with Psychiatric Disabilities, and a Day care centre for persons with multiple disabilities. It has also established an eye hospital, an orthopaedic hospital, ENT Hospital, a number of physiotherapy centres and inclusive schools. It has recently introduced early intervention, day care services and residential services for children with multiple disabilities. , , BPA is thus known for developing and promoting multifarious activities for persons with different disabilities with the target of ensuring comprehensive development of persons with all categories of disabilities.
