About Us
Senthil Muthian - (Chairman)
Senthil grew up in Chennai in South India and graduated from the Christian Medical College. He is an orthopaedic surgeon with a special interest in upper limb surgery. Senthil treats children ( and adults) with disability as part of his work, and he is interested in providing service to disabled children outside of his work commitments as well.
He is currently training in London to become a consultant. He is married to Victoria and they live in Winchester with their son Derek and attend Hope Church, Winchester. He also does volunteer work as a Street Pastor in Winchester.
Alan McEuen - (Treasurer)
Alan McEuen is our UK treasurer. Originally from the USA, he came to the UK for post graduate studies – and stayed on. There followed a succession of science research/teaching posts at various UK universities, as well as a number of years in Nigeria.
He is currently treasurer of a church and a pre-school, and a local coordinator for Book Aid. He has been involved with disability issues through family and friends over many years as well as with education and development overseas. These interests come together with DisabledChild India.
Benedicta Isaac - (Secretary)
Benedicta Isaac is a speech and language therapist. She is one of the founding members of DisabledChild India. Her many years of practise in the UK and India led her to want to serve children with autism, especially in India where the need for educational provisions for children with special needs is very high.
She currently works in a special school in Kodaikanal, beside being actively involved with Diya’s Early Intervention Centre for children with autism in Tirunelvelli. She also works with the Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG), currently involved with their road safety project. Her husband is an orthopaedic surgeon, also with a special interest in serving children with disabilities. She has two children and menagerie of animals that keep her hands full.
Cyril Thomas - (Advisor)
After graduating in English from the University of Nottingham, Cyril Thomas has been involved in education and training for most of his working life which includes service in the Royal Navy and the Royal Army Educational Corps. A Chinese interpreter, he has served as the Hong Kong regional coordinator of the Institute of Linguists as well as the examinations coordinator of the Hong Kong Translation Society.
Following his graduation from the Salisbury & Wells Theological College, Cyril and his wife founded the English Language Association in Hong Kong which, in partnership with the authorities in the People’s Republic of China, has initiated and developed programmes in education, training, childcare, healthcare and rehabilitation.
Senthil Kumar Ganesan - (Advisor)
Senthil Kumar was born and grew up in the port city of Tuticorin, Southern India. His interest in working with children with disabilities began during his years at medical school. After his orthopaedic training in India, he worked at various specialist centres for children with physical disabilities, in India, Hong Kong and UK. He has a special interest in paediatric orthopaedics, particularly spin correction.
After his training from UK , he has moved on to India and is currently working as a consultant in Van Allen hospital, a Christian mission hospital in Kodaikanal in the Western Ghats of Tamilnadu. Kodaikanal is a small town set atop a 10,000 feet high mountain. Resources and medical provision are therefore quite limited. Senthil is committed to serving the orthopaedic needs of children and adults in this area. Senthil is very passionate about Disabled Child India as it provides a platform for willing healthcare professionals to come together and create a better world for children with disabilities.
Gabrielle Thomas - (Advisor)
Gabrielle Thomas is a mother and grandmother with a heart for the underprivileged and children with special needs. As co-founder of the English Language Association in Hong Kong and several charities including Vision for China, her special focus has been on the needs of abandoned children.
Responsibility for the three children’s homes and day centres for rehabilitation of children, which have been established in the People’s Republic of China through these organisations, has been handed over to indigenous non government organisations whose management benefited from Gabrielle’s oversight for many years. She is delighted by the successful adoption of hundreds of abandoned children from these homes by caring families around the world.