The Enthusiastic Learner

In this film, we meet Yesheevardanbir Singh Rathore, a young student living with autism. Yesheevardanbir attends Vivek High School in Chandigarh, and also attends Discover Ability in Mohali, where he receives additional therapy and support. Further, Yesheevardanbir’s mother reflects on the vital role that his teachers and classmates have played in his development. Through a supportive and inclusive environment, Yesheevardanbir has flourished in various fields, including Hindustani Music Vocals.

Transcript

(Playing the Harmonium)
*

Hi, I am Yesheevardanbir Singh Rathore, I’m an autistic child, I’m learning from Hindustani music vocals subject, as a English Core Music Vocal.

Which school do you study in?

Uh Vivek High school, sector 38 B, Chandigarh and Discover Ability, Mohali, sector 77, House number 32.

And uh I learn how to golf, uh subject has a English Core Music Vocal, Commercial Art, Kathak Dance and Food Production.

Bring it out.
Bring it here.

(Yesheevardan reads in Hindi from the book Sangeet Anand.)

It’s 2012, he is into this very school, Vivek High, and they just uh have a separate section for the children and after that from there, they just assess how many children or who has got the ability for academics.

Then for one hour, two hours, three hours, then for long time, so they are sent and the CBSE, according to CBSE whatever the exemptions are there, whatever the uh special benefits are there to these children, so they just follow those instructions.

And according to that and in inclusion uh his uh his classmates, they had been quite supportive, quite helping and teacher’s role is great.

Means, mother’s role, they say that mother’s role is great but I think that in their life teachers, coaches, guides…so whatever he is now, that is because of his teachers.

They had dared to take him, they had dared to teach him, how to teach him I didn’t know, so they had gone the other way out.

So, for therapies he was going for, going to Discover Ability, so that school is also helpful and here, the students, children and especially and he…he just, his company of special ch…kids also, and he likes.

And over there in the class, his teachers, they had been quite, quite supportive and his uh friends, his buddies were main.

(Yesheevardan sings a few lines of a Hindi song from a Bollywood movie.)