Rev Yanger Walling conferred A Kevichusa Citizenship Award

December 22, 2023 7 Views No Comment

Terms award a call to action towards an equitable world

Morung Express News
Dimapur | December 22

Rev Yanger Walling, the founder of the first institute for the hearing impaired in Nagaland, was awarded the A Kevichusa Citizenship Award 2023. The 67 years old Rev Walling received the award, which includes a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh, certificate and a medallion, from the Kevichusa Foundation at a ceremony on December 21 at Hotel Acacia, Dimapur.

The award was handed away by Rev Bonny Resu.

Rev Walling and his wife, Zarchala, founded the Deaf Biblical Ministry (DBM), School for the Deaf, in Dimapur in 1987. It stands as the first of its kind, and continues to be, in the state.

They had initially worked as special educators at the School for the Deaf in Bengaluru after receiving training in Deaf Psychology & Education in the USA. They then set their sights home where such work was unheard of at the time.

The DBM started with 6 students and at present has an enrolment of around 70 students with Rev Walling at the helm as the Director. It produced the first hearing impaired person to pass class 10 in Nagaland. From 2022, the DBM in partnership with the Bible Society of India has been working towards interpreting the Bible in Sign Language for the Deaf people in Nagaland.

The students of the DBM have the distinction of being conferred with over 52 National and State level Awards for painting in different categories and have represented Nagaland in various state and national level programmes, while quite a few have gone on to make a living on their own.

The DBM won the National Award for Outstanding Institution in the field of Hearing Impaired in 2004 and the National Award for Employer of Persons with Disabilities in 2009.

Rev Walling has to his credit the National Award for Outstanding Performance in the field of Welfare of People with Disabilities (1999) and four other awards in this field.

He has over the years served as a member of various welfare-oriented bodies, including but not limited to the General Council of Rehabilitation Council of India; Member of State Co-ordination Committee for the Disabled, Nagaland. He is also the Administrator of the Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS). He is credited with having played a vital role in establishing the EMRS, a centrally funded school for students from economically weaker sections. “The school has had a 100% pass rate for the last eight consecutive years with many students securing distinction in several subjects. Many students are now pursuing their graduation and post-graduate degrees in their desired fields like Engineering, MBBS, BAMS etc,” stated his profile.

He officiated the wedding of a speech and hearing impaired couple in 2015, which happened to be a first in Nagaland. Since then, 6 other couples have followed. At his native Khar village in Mokokchung district, he started and runs a programme for the elderly known as the ‘80 plus Mission.’

Receiving the award, Rev Walling termed the award as much a responsibility as a privilege to continue working for the betterment of the society. “The award is not just a reflection of my effort but a testament to the power of collective action. It serves as a reminder that a collaborative effort requires the dedication of many,” he said.

While stating that the award was a call to action towards a better and equitable world, he acknowledged the Foundation’s commitment to seeking the common good and recognising positive change in the society.

He said that during his journey, he was fortunate to have received support and inspiration from countless people and to have witnessed the transformative power of compassion and empathy. He added that he was fortunate to have further witnessed the resilience of the human spirit, especially in the people, who are generally considered a burden to the society.

The Chalie Kevichusa Essay Awards 2023 was given to Anato K Chishi and Imtitangit Pongener in the youth and senior category, respectively. The awards were handed out by Navojyoti Datta, a friend and associate of Chalie Kevischusa. Datta is a retired teacher, who taught at Pranab Vidyapith Higher Secondary School.