About

Mithra began in 1977 and was founded by Sister Mary Theodore in response to a serious need she saw in the slums of Madras. At that time, and still even today, children with disabilities are catered for if their parents can afford such services. But Sr Mary Theodore saw that children with disabilities in the slums were neglected. Her mission was to convince their parents that all of these children had potential and could be educated and rehabilitated to a greater or lesser extent. After she acquired the land on the outskirts of Anna Nagar, she and her helpers would visit families and win their trust and confidence. She encouraged the parents to bring these children to her new centre. The original Mithra was built with the simple and typical South Indian thatched building materials, until donations helped her build more substantial buildings.

No Mithra is not an orphanage. It is a rehabilitation centre for children and young adults with either intellectual or physical disabilities or both. Most children and young people who benefit from Mithra’s services reside at Mithra because they live too far away for daily public transport, and because they require more help than their parents are able to manage. 

Since the beginning in 1977, many of the children have learned and developed independent living skills. They have returned home and found simple jobs. Others, however, have such severe disabilities, that they have stayed on at Mithra. The challenge for the staff at Mithra has been to find meaningful tasks and teach vocational skills that enable these, now young adults, to engage in meaningful and productive jobs. Some of these vocational tasks include: producing shopping bags, making greeting cards, making jewellery, sewing, envelope-making and candle making. Many of these products are sold.

Sr Mary’s Theodore’s vision for MITHRA was never to create a nursing home. Sr Mary Theodore’s vision is captured in the name and acronym she chose for MITHRA – “The Madras Institute to habilitate retarded, afflicted.” And her motto, "Challenge To Conquer", points to her belief that MITHRA was founded to help every child reach his or her potential. MITHRA is also the Sanskrit word for friendship.

Donations to MITHRA have been towards capital projects, to provide buildings that facilitate education and rehabilitations services, as well as provide money for the recurrent needs such as providing food for the children.

Those responsible for keeping MITHRA viable are constantly looking for ways to become more self-sufficient. However, the needs are so great, total self-sufficiency is still a long way off.