Bablu Lal

Nothing is known about Bablu’s family; he was living in a Missionary home on the outskirts of Kolkata when we first met him in May 2000. He was about 18. When he moved in to the shuktara home he was covered in infected scabies which took a month’s worth of treatment to heal. Apart from that he was really happy, adjusted quickly and got on well with everyone.

Bablu is the oldest member of the shuktara family (we don’t know anyone’s exact age or date of birth as we have no real information about them or their families.) Bablu has cerebral palsy and learning disabilities which may be why he was abandoned – we just don’t know. He has talked about living in care homes but never about his family.

He was enrolled in the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy Adult Training Centre, where he really enjoyed swimming more than anything else among the activities there.

Although we’ve seen Bablu get older over the years, he really hasn’t changed very much at all. He still has the same habits and routines and uses the same phrases now that he did when he first came. He is a wonderful carer to the younger boys and whenever someone new moves in Bablu will take them under his wing. He is probably closest to Anna, out of all the boys in the house.

He enjoys watching cricket and playing carrom - this is a typical Indian board game where you flick a disc into the corners of a board, like billiards, but using your fingers. Bablu has taken on the responsibility of looking after the front door key to the shuktara boys’ house so he is often the first person visitors meet when they come to the home.

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