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The Board of Directors
The Board of Directors of a Registered Society carries the responsibility for the policies, direction, and carrying out of the missions of the organization. We have:
Dr. Michelle Harrison, Founder and Secretary of the Board
Dr. Harrison’s first priority is always the children, believing if we don’t put them first, we have no reason to exist. Her next priority is to develop a strong infrastructure so Shishur Sevay can meet the lifetime needs of the children with disabilities. Dr. Harrison lives at Shishur Sevay, with the children.
Dr. Harrison began her career in rural South Carolina as part of President Lyndon Jhonson’s war on Poverty. It was a program that included sanitation, nursing care, medical and dental care. She believes healthcare must be accessible to all, independent of economics.
Her medical career spanning 35 years included psychiatry, family medicine and OB-GYN. Her books are A Woman in Residence. Self Help for Premenstrual Syndrome and The Preteen’s First Book About Love, Sex, and AIDS. She has taught at Harvard, Rutgers, University of Pittsburgh. She has authored academic papers and magazine articles. Her Op-ed pieces have appeared in The Wall Street Journal and The Chicago Sun Times.
Six years with Johnson & Johnson Corporate, first as worldwide Director of Medical Affairs in Consumer, and then as Executive Director of Johnson & Johnson Institute for Children gave her the skills and experience needed to plan, develop and lead Childlife Preserve Shishur Sevay.
Dr. Harrison serves as the Secretary of the Board. She also functions as the government appointed Superintendent, and the Director reporting to the Board. She is not paid for any of her roles at Shishur Sevay.
Mrs. Gupta retired as Joint Registrar of the Calcutta High Court. She is also a neighbour and “Auntie” to the girls. She teaches Bengali.
She is one of the Daughters of Shishur Sevay. She is a dancer at Udayan Kala Kendra by Mamta Shankar. She will appear for her Class 12 exams through NIOS.
Dr. Harrison, the Founder is a renowned physician, author, leader in women’s health and a mother.Her medical career spanning 45 years included psychiatry, family medicine and OB-GYN. She has taught at Harvard, Rutgers and the University of Pittsburgh. At Johnson & Johnson Corporate, she was Worldwide Director of Medical Affairs in Consumer, and then Executive Director of Johnson & Johnson Institute for Children.
Rutgers University, PhD Geography; Jawaharlal Nehru University: MPhil, Geography. Dr. Rudra joined Shishur Sevay in November 2011. As the Academic Director, she oversees Ichche Dana Inclusive School and teaches the abled and those with disabilities. Dr. Rudra’s main focus is in empowering the girls, building academic skills and self-confidence. She is also managing the advanced assistive communication technology and teaching Tobii. She also serves as the treasurer.
Shanti Devi is one of our founding board members. Her priority is working with the children with disabilities. She has a special relationship and devotion to them. She comes at 6 am, six days a week to do exercise, massage, yoga and communicate with them. She is also an operation theatre supervisor at a nursing home. Much of the development of the children with disabilities is due to her consistent and committed care, and her love.
She is one of the Daughters of Shishur Sevay. She is preparing for her Class 10 through NIOS. She wants to be a special educator. She is being trained in yoga and kalahi.
Jayita Dey has over two decades of experience in the IT industry, working with customers in India, Europe and the USA. Presently she provides consultancy in CMMi, PMP and Agile practices. She assists Shishur Sevay in its IT and social media functions.
Ms. Harrison, daughter of Dr. Harrison and born in Kolkata is another founding member of Shishur Sevay. She works at Marmoset music in the US and is a talented drummer.
Debasree is currently working as an Administrative Assistant with a Toronto based Internet Marketing Company. She has a Post Graduate Diploma in Psychological Counselling. Debasree is a founder and secretary of DAND, Kolkata, which works for the betterment of people with disabilities since 2014.
She serves as Executive Director and government appointed superintendent of the home. She works non-salaried and lives at the home with children. For brief bio see listing under The Board of Directors.
(Joined 2011) As Academic Director, Dr. Rudra oversees Ichche Dana Learning Center, teaches the abled and disabled, and leads our efforts in assistive communication and tobii eye tracking devices and software.
(Joined 2018) has training in Journalism and Audio-Visual Communication and has worked in media house and NGOs. She manages social media and produces videos at Shishur Sevay.
(Joined 2018) has a B.A. (Hons) in Political Science and has more than 10 years of experience in HR and administration. She also teaches English to the advanced students.
(Joined 2006) He has multiple roles, as driver, purchasing, repairs, and as our strong man when that’s needed. He is ‘MAMA’ (uncle) to the girls at Shishur Sevay. He really is indispensable.
She is a Dance & Movement therapist and a holistic mentor. She has experience in working with children and adolescents, parents and caregivers with effective developmental techniques for more than a decade. Her expertise dealing with trauma affected vulnerable young population, suitably aligns her with Shishur Sevay trajectory.
Staff Part Time
(Joined 2007, rejoined 2010) Chaitali began as the first teacher at Shishur Sevay in 2007. She left to earn her M.Com and returned in 2010 as an accountant.
(Joined 2010) Srirupa holds a Diploma in Arts & Crafts from the Vocational Institute for Air Force Women Welfare Association, Bhatinda. She teaches academic subjects as well as using Tobii for Ganga’s education. She directs the inclusive fabric painting project and other craft projects.
(Joined 2013) He holds a Diploma in Visual Arts from the Indian Art College, Rabindra Bharati University. He works intensively with Puja, He founded his own art school, Aankiey in 1987.
(Joined 2007) She has a special relationship and devotion to the children with disabilities and comes at 5:30 am six mornings a week to do exercise, massage yoga, and has a special relationship with them.
(Joined 2010) She holds a BA and MA in Philosophy from Calcutta University. She works primarily with the children with disabilities and creatively comes up with new ways of motivating them. She works with Tobii and uses thesoftware to create new word and image pages as needed.
(Joined 2015) He is a security guard. He maintains the garden and keeps the front entrance bursting with plants and flowers all year long as a volunteer.
(joined 2019) He gives physio-therapy sessions to the disabled girls five days a week.
(Joined in 2007) Kaberi assists in the rehabilitation of the children with disabilities. As the mother to a young woman with cerebral palsy, she has extensive hands-on practical experience with disabilities and a strong commitment to their care and well-being.
(Joined 2013) He is a registered tabla player under Calcutta Stage Performing Musicians Welfare Association, Kolkata. He has taught at South Calcutta Ananda Niketan Home since 1996.
(Joined 2013) Satyen holds an M.A. in Dance from Rabindra Bharati University. Satyen teaches the Inclusive Dance Movement Program, working with the abled and those with disabilities. He has toured Europe multiple times.
She works with the children with disabilities at Shishur Sevay and also at Children’s Smart Centre. Having 20+ years’ experience, she is certified from Rehabilitation Council of India, Reg no. A06165.
Childcare Workers
We have an outstanding group of six women childcare workers who are trained in special skills needed for care of children with disabilities to give our children the best possible care.
“I really like working here. I have learned a lot from Mummy, especially working with children with disabilities. I want to learn more!”
“Since the time I have joined I have really liked the place and all the people. I would like to work here till I die and I want to keep learning more.”
“I like working here and being with the kids. The children’s home filled a void in my life.”
“I am very happy working here. The environment here is very good (I have seen other places). I want to keep on working here. I have got a lot of help from the aunties (teachers) here and mummy is a very good person, we wouldn’t have been here otherwise.”
Outsourced Services
Security: Security is outsourced with two guards splitting night and day 24/7.
Website: Dreamz Interactive, owned by Somnath Dutta maintains websites and internet accounts.
The Idea – De-institutionalization of orphan and disabled children and creation of inclusive family style group homes. Shishur Sevay is the best practices model of inclusive non-institutional care for lost and abandoned girls, some with profound disabilities, all of whom had already been rejected for adoption.