Till late 19 century i.e. eradication of polio, the plight of Divyang person in rural India was very pitiable and the birth of Divyang girl in a family was considered a curse. The girl had to suffer not only from mental and physical torture but even from the neglect by family members and society. There was no sympathy for her. Nobody to take care of her, and having an education was a remote possibility.

Niruben in her young age met a few such Divyang girls.

There is a small village in Mehsana District of Gujarat. There lived an eight-year-old girl. ASHA (Hope), cute – just beauty personified. One can feel the penetrating sky blue eyes and wonder why her name is not Aishwarya Rai? One would be tempted to ask her hand as a daughter- in- law if one had a son of her age. However, such images will be illusory- will get shattered the moment she stood up.

Oh no she is, in fact, not able to get up stand up. She had an attack of polio in her childhood and both the legs have lost their ability to support the body. The upper half of the body is Aishwarya’s but the lower half of a……………… Who would take care of her in this small village? Poor parents had to neglect her and go for earning their daily bread. What is her fate? future? Should she be drowned? And what on her maturity? Women are anyhow unsafe and a beautiful girl/woman, though disabled, is more unsafe -How to protect her? Make her life?

Someone suggested to send her to Manthan, an Institute for disabled girls, but the parents were hesitant. They loved the child and were afraid of her being neglected in absence of their care and love.

The well-wisher was sure. He promised, she will be taken care of even better than at home. He asked, “Do you take care of her all through the day? All hours? Day and night? There is someone who cares for the whole day and even the night. Try once; if Asha is not comfortable, bring her back, but nothing wrong in trying.”

Mother asked: “Is there someone who would be a better mother? Are you sure?”

The well-wisher said, “Yes, there is, her name is Niruben., Niruben Raval.”

Dimple belonging to Visnagar is just seven years old and she got an attack of polio. She lost both the legs. Two misfortunes followed –hell and fire; hell in form of the death of her mother and fire in form of a stepmother. In India, daughters generally are considered a burden by mothers…They compare rearing a girl with rearing a snake…. One is not sure when the snake may bite.

In case of the girl, when someone will ill-treat her, bite her/ (molest her) rape her… and this girl was immobile; could not protect herself; not able to move and moreover, not a helping hand in family or farm work and also a STEPDAUGHTER. Stepmother and stepchild mostly do not go well together.

After such meetings, Niruben faced many sleepless nights wondering as to the future of such girls; responsibility of the society; her own role—what she should do? Has she not gained support/advantage from the society ? Should she not do anything to repay society?

She came to a decision: She decided to begin a REHAB CENTRE FOR POLIO AFFECTED GIRLS ….ONLY GIRLS … by disposing of the GOLD given to her by her mother. She resigned from a trouble-free office of the Principal of a school looking after physically challenged BOYS and took up a new role/job of a MOTHER of DIVYANG GIRLS

Only and only because of the firm unfailing determination of Niruben and the good fortune of such girls; Manthan Apang Kanya Seva Sankul was born in 1991.

On July 21, 1991 world women’s day Manthan got its identity in just a barren plot of land in presence of 21 Divyang girls and the founder Miss Nirmalaben Raval having a heart full of love and sympathy for such girls, a desire to fulfill their dreams and make their lives meaningful, self-supportive, non-dependent.