Date:03/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/03/stories/2007110358550200.htm

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Karnataka - Bangalore

When hope flowers

Staff Reporter

Annual garden fair of APD begins

– Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Unique venture: Disabled persons tending to plants in their garden in Bangalore.

BANGALORE: A rose is a rose is a rose. Right? Not always. Especially, when it is cultivated with much love and care by disabled persons.

The 11th annual garden fair of the Association of People with Disability (APD) was inaugurated on Friday at Jeevanbimanagar here. The exhibition will be on November 6.

As every year, this fair is held to display the talent of disabled persons who have been trained in APD’s horticulture programme. The fair was inaugurated by A.N. Yellappa Reddy, environmentalist.

The highlights of this year’s fair include new varieties of medicinal and edible herbs such as parsley, bursera, and rosemary. “This kind of a venture helps to create a platform for recognition of their abilities. We also hope to raise awareness among others about these people,” said V.S. Basavaraju, Director of APD.

Motivated by their success at Jeevanbimanagar, work is on to start a new horticulture project at Kyalasanahalli.