Assam rehab centre launches hospitality training programme for differently abled

GUWAHATI Shishu Sarothi, a Guwahati-based centre for rehabilitation and training for multiple disabilities, has launched a certificate course in hospitality for the differently abled, the first of its kind in the northeastern region.

The certificate programme in hospitality training, in collaboration with the Gateway Institute of Hotel Management (GIHM), has been designed for a maximum of 40 candidates with different types of impairment. They include those with cerebral palsy, locomotor disability, low vision, and blood disorders such as haemophilia, thalassemia, and sickle cell.

“We have left out the visually impaired because we are not equipped with specific Braille learning. The course is for candidates between 18 and 40 years of age,” Saswati Saikia, the programme manager of Shishu Sarothi’s skill development programme, told The Hindu.

“We expect candidates from across Assam, provided they have cleared Class 12 and can manage accommodation within a monthly stipend of ₹5,000. However, most of the candidates are likely to be from Guwahati and adjoining areas,” she said.

LIC Housing Finance Limited is supporting the six-month programme under its Sarthak Project. The course includes a month of internship with major organisations in the hospitality sector in Assam.

According to GIHM’s centre head, Pallav Baruah, the course has been certified by the Assam Skill University.

“The candidates will be trained in front office management, housekeeping, digital literacy, and food and beverages. The support to be provided includes full coverage of the course fee,” he said.

Established in 2017, the GIHM was adjudged the best hotel management institute in Guwahati by Merit Awards and Market Research in Noida on December 20, 2025.

Shishu Sarothi, founded in 1987, currently has over 100 students taught by trained special educators and a team of parents and volunteers. The centre caters to children with different developmental disabilities in Assam and beyond.