Mangaluru: Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo, Bishop of the Udupi Catholic Diocese, laid the foundation stone for Manasa Autism Centre on the premises of Manasa Rehabilitation and Training Centre at Pamboor village in Udupi district on Thursday.

In his speech, Dr. Lobo lauded the work being done in the centre with the support of the Catholic Sabha of Mangalore and Udupi Dioceses. He stressed the need to identify and educate children with autism.

In a brief report, Sr. Ancila Ferandes, principal of the centre, said that since its inception, 594 students with special abilities have been trained and rehabilitated.

At present, there are 52 students with autism at the centre. Hence, the Catholic Sabha has decided to construct a separate building with facilities to train and educate children with autism, she said.

Fr. Harold Pereira, director of Eighteen Diocesan Commissions, Valerian Fernandes, president of the Catholic Sabha Udupi Pradesh, Anil Lobo, president of Catholic Sabha Mangalore Pradesh, Henry Menezes, president of Manasa Rehabilitation and Training Centre, and Gretta D’Souza, representative of Shirva Welfare Association of Kuwait, were among those present at the programme.