HISTORY OF PKK

A Dream Takes Root: founding years and early work

The Turbulent Seventies. An era when Pratibandhi Kalyan Kendra (PKK) found its roots. The Vietnam War. The Bangladesh Muktijuddha. Refugee marches. And the Naxalite movement. All of it rocked the conscience of the world.

The war ended. But distrust in institutions lingered. Questions and doubts echoed the call for freedom. It was time to look beyond conventional systems—for new resolutions, new possibilities. For a new world.

A small town in Hooghly. 1974. A few social activists dreamt of that new world too.
A world that had empathy. A world that was just and inclusive—irrespective of a person’s abilities or disabilities. And so it began. A dream with no technical expertise or significant resources, but a dream with an indomitable spirit amidst acute struggle. A tryst to create an inclusive world for marginalized children.

A tiny one-room school was born, with a modest, worn-out mat in an old house. One teacher and five children with deafness: Samar,Tulu, Goutam,Krishna and Arun.

And thus, Pratibandhi Kalyan Kendra (PKK) began.

Established in 1974 in the small town of Bandel—an erstwhile Portuguese colony in Bengal—PKK is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation that currently operates in the states of West Bengal and Odisha. Our mission is to build a just, equitable, and inclusive community where children and adults with disabilities can lead liberating and dignified lives based on mutual respect.

Disability is often met with indifference and marginalisation. Where there is poverty, the challenges multiply. PKK currently works with more than 1,000 children and adults with disabilities—mainly from rural areas—through clinical, educational, and livelihood-based initiatives that aim to transform lives.

2024 marks 50 years of our journey.
For five decades, we have tirelessly promoted education, inclusion, and the rights of persons with disabilities, working to build a more equitable society for all. What began as the dream of a few empathetic youths has grown into a movement that has impacted nearly 50,000 families.

We envision a future where such transformative change is both sustainable and lasting—a society that truly values inclusivity and empowerment for all.

Governing Body Members

President: Dr. DN Chatterjee
Vice-President: Mr. Pradip Sil
General Secretary: Mr. Subrata Banerjee
Treasurer: Mr. Shyamal Kumar Ghosh
Member: Mrs. Nandini Sen
Member: Mr. Anup Sil
Member: Mr. Gurudas Mukherjee

Legal Status

Registered under the West Bengal Societies Registration Act,1961(Registration no. SO016383)

Registered under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPWD Act,2016);vide letter No. 487(R)Com-D 20/21

Registered with the Ministry of Home Affairs, G.O.I. to receive foreign contributions (Registration no. 146990016 dated 01.01.1985)

Registered under Sec 12A and exempted under Sec 80G of IT Act, 1961

Recognised by the Directorate of Mass Education (Formerly Technical Education), Govt of West Bengal vide letter NO.7R-IT-78:6425(T)dated 26.08.80

Registered for undertaking CSR Activities (Registration no. CSR00026496)