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BACKGROUND

    The Central Institute on Mental Retardation (CIMR) is located in the city of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, India. Established in 1980 as the Executive Wing of the All Kerala Association for the Mentally Retardarded, it is a non-profit social organization functioning as the nerve centre of various co-related activities; focusing on the development, education, training and rehabilitation of the mentally challenged.

    CIMR is a national level NGO (Non-Government Organization) in India. It works closely with the families of mentally challenged persons, professionals working in this particular field, and various governmental agencies. Through its dedicated and committed service for the 'poorest of the poor', it has earned itself an international reputation so much so that it is today a National Resource Centre. Drawing from its vast experience and research-oriented knowledge base, CIMR is an established organization par-excellence in the area of human development with special reference to the mentally challenged.

    CIMR came into existence due to the pioneering effort of Reverend Father Thomas Felix CMI, a religious priest belonging to the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate. Fr. Felix has traveled far and wide in order to understand and educate himself on the problems and efforts in the field of rehabilitating the mentally challenged. He understood that the then existing form and practices of rehabilitation was not only insufficient but grossly and fundamentally incorrect. His pioneering vision became clear and he fell upon rapidly evolving a practical tool towards the 'normalization' of the mentally challenged -- now known as the "Three Cs".

    CIMR is an answer to the call of life -- each and every human being by his or her very existence has a right to live. The mentally challenged have been traditionally relegated towards the darker corners of human mind and society, unfortunately. CIMR and its various activities have delivered many mentally challenged persons from the bonds of misery and darkness; and thrust them into the sunshine of the Almighty as well as normal human endeavors.

(c)Central Institute on Mental Retardation, India.