Having a disabled child in a family is not the same as is with a normal child. The anguish and agony experienced by Dr.T.Venkateswara Rao, a parent of 2 Mentally Retarded Children, made him to think seriously of doing some thing substantial for the benefit of many such unfortunate children.

           Humanism and compassion in few other like minded people has strengthened the same thought. "Can’t we do some thing, for these children who are struggling forever, between a condition of under development of the brain and the inability to cope with the complexities of human life..?".

           The strong urge and determination to serve such unfortunate children lead to the formation of a Voluntary Society, by name Sri Dakshinya Bhava Samithi with Reg.No.339/95 in the year 1995. Under this registered Society, the present "Dakshinya Institute for The Mentally Handicapped (DIMH)" is functioning in a rural area of Pedapalakaluru panchayat, on the out skirts of the Guntur Municipal Corporation at the Swarna Bharathi Nagar, Guntur-522 006, Andhra Pradesh, India.

          

           The Dakshinya Institute for the Mentally Handicapped (DIMH) had a very humble beginning in a rented building at lakshmipuram 4th line, with 5 children in 1995 and has been presently developed to accommodate about 264 Mentally retarded individuals, with residential facility for 50 children, with pucca buildings of about 17000 sft, in a spacious campus of 12000 Sq.Mts, at Swarna Bharathi Nagar, Guntur-522 006, Andhra Pradesh, India.

So far the Institute catered to the needs of about 1500 families having children with various degrees of mental retardation. The child who come to the school or identified by the staff of DIMH will get admission irrespective of caste, religion, creed etc. They are imparted special education, speech therapy, and physiotherapy, besides vocational training to eligible students.

           Despite the paucity of the funds at the disposal of the organisation, it has not compromised in making available the services of well-qualified personnel. At present the institute has strength of 74 staff members, such as qualified special educators, besides qualified speech therapist, physiotherapist, pediatrician, social worker and occupational therapist and other supporting staff for the maintenance of hostel and the school. In addition to the above a panel of doctors is visiting the institute for conducting regular medical checkups for these children. children.