It was a great pleasure to receive the news that Mrs Priyo Lal, Head of Special Education at Raphael (the Ryder-Cheshire Home in India) has been honoured with the Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award. This award is in memory of the late Prime Minister of India, Shri Rajiv Gandhi, and honours those who have made an outstanding individual contribution to the wellbeing of children. Priyo was presented with the award at a ceremony on November 14 by the President of India, Mr Pranab Mukherjee.

The citation accompanying the award details Priyo’s work involving creating awareness regarding people with autism, cerebral palsy and multiple disabilities, providing residential and community-based centres for people with intellectual disabilities and providing training for special educators and other professionals.
It was wonderful to have had Priyo and her husband represent Raphael at the Ryder-Cheshire Biennial Conference in Sydney earlier this year. Everyone who has met Priyo and witnessed her work will know that she is a highly competent professional, and a caring and gracious person who has given many years of dedicated service at Raphael. Ryder-Cheshire Australia extends our congratulations and best wishes to Priyo for this wonderful and well deserved award.