Kamalasan and Sarojini with their daughter Priya (Express photo)

An elderly couple from Kerala who was worried about the future of their intellectually challenged daughter, requested the government to take over their building and 83 cents of land at Kayila village in Kollam district with a value of Rs 3 crore. The couple wants the government to convert this property into a centre for challenged women. The Kerala social welfare minister KK Shylaja told The Indian Express that the house would soon be converted into a rehabilitation centre for intellectually challenged women.

He added that the house will be used to provide medical facilities to its residents and will be named after the name of couple’s daughter Priya – ‘Priya Home For Mentally Challenged Women’. He added that the house will provide a homely atmosphere for its residents.

Priya’s parents were worried as they were not able to trust their relatives with the custody of their daughter. Therefore the couple has written a will, offering the government to take control of its other two houses and 15 cents of land in Kozhikode as well having a market value of Rs 4 crore and convert them into a rehabilitation centre for intellectually challenged.

Priya’s father while expressing his concern over the situation of intellectually challenged people in India said, “I wanted to bring their woes to the public sphere. I hope wealthy families come forward to make such homes ready for their intellectually-challenged wards as well as for others from economically weaker sections.”

Meanwhile, the Kerela Mental Health Authority Secretary Dr Jayaprakash praised the efforts made by the couple. He said that many parents of challenged children die with the pain that there is none to take care of them (the children) and added that this type of voluntary initiative will help address the issue.