Today, the world strives to create a more inclusive and equitable society, where every child is empowered with opportunities to unlock their potential. The Society for the Rehabilitation of Crippled Children (SRCC) is contributing to this noble cause.
A few like-minded individuals, led by Mrs. Fathema Ismail got together to establish a Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation Centre for Crippled Children in Mumbai. In July 1947 a humble beginning was made in Paediatrician Dr. Sanzgiri’s Clinic and was then moved to Dr. A. V. Baliga’s Nursing Home.

On 26th October, 1948 the Society for the Rehabilitation of Crippled Children (SRCC) was registered. The Centre was then granted a year’s lease in a place at Nariman Point by the Government. The Centre offered services to all children afflicted by Poliomyelitis. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, our first Prime Minister took keen interest in the work done by the Centre and in May 1950, assisted with the leasing of land by the Bombay Municipality. Plans were started to build an exclusive hospital for children. Renowned Orthopaedic Surgeons, Dr. M. G. Kini, Dr. K. T. Dholakia and Colonel Dr. Perin K. Mullaferoze, got involved for this noble cause. The Children’s Orthopaedic Hospital (COH), popularly known as the Polio Hospital in Bombay was recognised in India and internationally with the dedication and expertise of Late Dr. Perin Kavas Mullaferoze.
From 1956, the number of children with cerebral palsy at COH showed a phenomenal increase and Dr. Mullaferoze felt a proper, well-coordinated setup of professionals was required. In 1963, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru laid the Foundation stone for a better and larger hospital. On 1st January 1969, a fully staffed Cerebral Palsy unit, the first of its kind in India and South-East Asia, took roots because of the vision of Dr. Mullaferoze. In a short time, it became a model institution where cerebral palsy children from India and other parts of Asia got the best care from a dedicated team under Dr. Mullaferoze’s guidance. Dr. Mullaferoze took great pains and worked relentlessly to upgrade the hospital and provide the best facilities for the patients. Dr. Mullaferoze started counselling sessions and re-assessment sessions for monitoring the child’s progress with her whole team. She emphasized detailed documentation. She also encouraged the special educators to start remedial education therapy – the first of its kind on the hospital campus. COH gave hope to over a million children.
Recognizing the need to ensure that those children admitted in the hospital did not lag in academics, the Remedial Education Therapy department was introduced in 1975. This initiative evolved into the Special Education Therapy Department in 1983. In 2009, the department was renamed the Citi Academy for Special Education (CASE), which now is a full-fledged department that caters to children with diverse learning needs, including dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, mild autism, attention deficits, children prone to epilepsy, and slow learners. The curriculum encompasses Pratham, NIOS, SSC board, Vocational curriculum and Training and Skills.
In 2006 the trustees of SRCC decided to undertake a further expansion project and separate the two activities of rehabilitation and medical services.
1. SRCC – Centre for Child Development
Operational since 2009 with the following facilities:
– Shri Motichand G. Shaha Rehabilitation Department: It offers therapeutic services to children from all sections of society it includes Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Psychotherapy, Remedial Educational Therapy and a Prosthetics & Orthotics Department.
– CASE Special Education Therapy Department: to assist children with learning disabilities.
– Multidisciplinary Team Assessment Clinics.
– TCS Vidya Vinimay : A state of the art Auditorium & Conference Room for medical and educational seminars and programs.
2. SRCC Children’s Hospital
Managed by Narayana Health and operational since April, 2017. Narayana Health (NH) is presently operating many hospitals across the country & an international hospital. SRCC Children’s Hospital combines paediatric medical experience with world-class facilities to ensure affordable, quality medical care for infants, children and adolescents. Paediatric super-specialties offered at the Hospital include Critical Care & Emergency Services, Cardiology, Cardiac surgery, Orthopaedics and Spine Surgery, Paediatric Surgery, Bone Marrow Transplant, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Neurosurgery, Neurology, ENT, Neonatology, Neonatal Surgery, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Clinical Haematology & Haemato Oncology, Cranio-Maxillo Facial Surgery, Thoracic & Vascular Surgery, Paediatric Medicine, Endocrinology, Nephrology, Medical Genetics, Psychiatry, Psychology, Developmental Paediatrics, Rheumatology, Plastic Surgery, Onco Surgery, and Pulmonology.
The two important activities of SRCC – Centre for Child Development are Citi Academy for Special Education (CASE) and Training and Skills for Children (TASC)
Citi Academy for Special Education (CASE)
CASE provides to around 75 children a range of services to address their cognitive, physical, social, and emotional needs. A team of 30 therapists work together to adopt a holistic approach that goes beyond academics. CASE ensures that every child has the opportunity to thrive, with adapted educational plans, differentiated instructions, therapies, and skill building activities. The goal is to equip children with skills that can lead to potential careers or self-employment opportunities. Their activities are:
Pottery – helps children cultivate creativity and a sense of accomplishment.
Drama sessions – works on voice and body language to help the children communicate confidently and articulately. Mime offers a structured outlet to non-verbal children who benefit greatly as it provides a platform for personal growth, emotional development, and social integration.
CASE has collaborated with Animal Angels Foundation, an NGO dedicated to providing Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) and Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) programs to the community.
Physical Education at CASE is not just about fitness, it’s about building confidence, developing emotional well-being, and encouraging a lifelong love of physical activity.
Dance Movement Therapy – provides a safe and supportive environment to the children to explore their bodies and express themselves creatively.
Art and Craft activities – are integral to achieving that holistic development.
Cooking and Baking – Children learn skills of cutting, chopping, measuring, washing, organizing, differentiating, developing tastes, improving their gross and fine motor skills, and most important of all – team work.



yengar Yoga is an essential part at CASE. The learning is made “fun” so that the children are enthused to participate. They tend to develop stability, will power, courage to try challenging asanas which helps in their overall behaviour.
Gardening – offers children a unique way to connect with nature through sensory exploration.
Indian and Western music – in which children are encouraged to actively participate in Vocal Singing and Instrument playing like Keyboard.
Financial Literacy/Functional Math – Money management is a significant barrier for children as inability to manage money will hinder the child’s future.
All these CASE activities have been integrated as part of the curriculum ensuring an overall development of the child.
Training and Skills for Children (TASC)
This is a step SRCC-CASE Special Education Therapy Department took in July 2022, towards their aim to instill in children a great sense of worth and uniqueness, thereby enabling them to develop to their full potential.
The NIOS and SSC exams that children appear for are more academic in nature. SRCC believes that to increase the chances of employability in the real world, children need to develop pre-skills on the basis of their aptitude leading to a vocation of their choice. At TASC, the skill-based courses along with certain core competencies, in areas like soft skills, computers, functional maths and English proficiency will help the children for a smooth transition from academic to work life. Children between the ages of 14 to 17 can choose any one skill based on their aptitude and liking, viz. Yoga, Pottery, Gardening and garden related services, Cooking, Baking and Retail Management. At the end of a two-year programme, the children will be ready to step out into the world, certified, interned and equipped with the necessary pre-skills in the relevant course.
Hobby Classes for Children
SRCC has started hobby classes for children who are not able to come on a regular basis for TASC as they have been enrolled in other schools/institutes. The hobby classes are open for neuro-typical children too, to set the tone for an inclusive environment. The hobby classes are conducted on Saturdays for pottery, baking & cooking. The aim is all children not enrolled with CASE otherwise, should also benefit from this vocational program without any prejudice. They want to reach out to as many children as possible. They say “We use a child’s strength to help build his future”.
For more information on SRCC please call them on 022 23544226 or 022 23540030. Email : info@srcc.org.in ; Website: www.srcc.org.in