The Omkar Lions School For The Deaf and Mute
One of a kind school in Visakhapatnam dedicated to helping deaf children succeed in school and life.
Entirely donor funded, The Omkar School provides:
- Free Education from 6th to 10th grade
- Free daily meals and lodging
- Funding for cochlear implants
- Vocational training and Job placement
About Us
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The students at the school attend classes from 6th to 10th class. They are provided daily meals and some of them are also provided accommodations at the school. At the peak, the school’s enrollment was over 300 students.
Students are provided vocational training to prepare them for jobs after graduation. The school also offers Junior and Senior Diploma in Fine arts which train students in creating various crafts, arts and jewelry. The students learn various techniques with paper folding, bamboo crafting, painting, wood work, clay work, stone carving, etc.
Students who complete education at the school are provided monetary support for higher education or support to find employment. Many of the students who complete 10th class from the school are placed in government jobs within the city.
The school has received funding from the government for decades until recently when the rules changed and the government funding was no longer available to institutions such as the Omkar School. Now, the school is entirely run on donations from individuals and the private sector. 100% of the donations to The Omkar School go towards benefitting the students.
The school is run by volunteer administrators, and the teaching staff work here primarily because they have a strong commitment to the students and the mission.
The Omkar Lions School was founded in 1974 by Sri Varahala Raju under the auspices of Swami Omkar Ji. The school is a part of Sri Santi Ashram which was founded by Swami Omkar Ji. Sri Varahala Raju was inspired to start the school as there were no schools in Visakhapatnam at that time for his deaf grandson.
Meet Some of Our Students
Our students predominantly come from families with limited financial means. All students are provided meals at the school. Some students are also provided lodging at the school. Irrespective of where they come from, they all share the enthusiasm to learn and help each of their classmates succeed.
Swami Omkar, born Venkata Rao on January 21, 1895, in Andhra Pradesh, was a spiritually gifted soul drawn to the teachings of Krishna, Buddha, Christ, and other spiritual masters. As a college student he conducted a comparative study of various religions, to discover the essential Unity in them and to realize the one and the same GOD of all religions.Inspired by sacred texts, he renounced worldly life and undertook penance in the Himalayas, adopting the name Swami Omkar. Through his realization of God-consciousness, he dedicated his life to spreading peace, healing, and interfaith harmony.
Known for his compassion and selfless service, Swami Omkar healed the sick and supported the needy, even sacrificing his own comfort for others. He established Peace Centres globally and shared profound insights through his writings. His legacy of peace, universal love, and service continues to inspire humanity.
The Omkar Lions School for the Deaf and Mute is also called the Shanti Ashram. This institution was created as a testament to Swami Omkar Ji in order to use his principles to better the world. The principles highlighted are ones of equality towards all as well as tolerance towards the unknown. His teachings spread a message of hope and light in this school, guiding both the the teachers and the students.
For more information visit https://srisantiashram.org/
Swami Omkar Ji
Leadership
These people have been dedicated to the Omkar School and its values, their passion and commitment to helping overlooked deaf and mute kids has made a profound impact on the Visakhapatnam community and an immeasurable difference in the lives of those who attend The Omkar Lions School for the Deaf and Mute.
Mathaji Jnaneswari
Current leader of Sri Santi Ashram
Mathaji was appointed by Swami Omkar ji as his successor. Following in his footsteps, she is taking forward Swamiji’s mission of Universal Brotherhood, Peace and Harmony. With her selfless devotion, and humility, she is always eager to serve the ashram visitors and residents.
Aditya M.N.
Administrator and Secretary of Santi Ashram and Omkar School
Mr. Aditya is an attorney by profession and has been a dedicated volunteer for Sri Santi Ashram and the Omkar School for over twenty years. He is responsible for smooth functioning of the Ashram including raising funds for the Ashram.
T. V. Lakshmi
Teaching Staff Lead
Ms. Lakshmi joined the Omkar School in 2003 as Office Assistant and has taken on progressive responsibility to now leading the teaching staff at the school. Inspired by her husband’s loss of speech from paralysis at a young age, she views working at the Omkar School as her life’s mission and purpose.
Gallery
All the jewelry shown in the photos above and below are handmade by the students in their art class and are available upon request
A drawing made by a student that attended the Omkar
Lions School for the Deaf and Mute kept today in the school's art gallery
A student's homework submission for an assignment discussing climate change, humanity's impact, and how to mitigate its effects
Earrings made in art class
The school's art gallery housing only student made art
Donations
Why should you donate?
The Omkar Lions School for the Deaf and Mute has been the only hope for countless deaf and mute children. With no other institutions geared towards the education of these kids combined with minimal government attention on impaired children leaves these kids with few choices. Though the Omkar Lions School stays true to its mission of improving the lives of speech/hearing impaired children, their jobs have been getting increasingly harder since the government stopped giving any funding. Every little amount of money given will be put to its best use; the school plans on first restoring water filtration systems; then, will move onto things like purchasing computers, funding cochlear implant surgeries, expanding which grades they teach, etc.
Make a donation
All of the donations to the Omkar School go towards benefiting the students, directly and all donation count as tax exemptions.
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