Sarbani Mukherjee Mallick -ISEY 2023

Topic: Building Inclusive Early Learning Environments: Fostering Collaboration Among Parents, Educators, and Communities

With over 27 years of practice experience in the domain of neuro diversity and education, Sarbani, began her journey of discovery in the field of Special Education in 1997 after a chance volunteering opportunity at a special school close to where she lived. She went on to complete her formal training and over the last 26 years, she has contributed to the field in diverse ways.

She has been a passionate worker in the field of Autism since the past 27 years. This passion has led to her comprehensive grasp over the subject, and has led to the creation of the Bubbles Centre for Autism. This center runs a day care school program for children with Autism in the age group of 3 to 15 years.

She started “Pragati Towards Livelihood” a Pre-Vocational skill training center aimed at expanding horizons for young adults with Autism. This center focuses on preparing skill equipped individuals towards a range of real-world employment opportunities using Person centered approach. This centre caters to 45 young adults.

Both these institutions have gained strong credibility in the eyes of well reputed institutions in the medical field related to Autism in India and abroad. She has experimented with international best practices in the field, to create a leading-edge curriculum for the students / Trainees at both the Centres. She has attended various PG Diploma and certificate training programs and volunteered at Special schools / programs in countries in USA, Europe and South Aftrica. She has undergone training in Structured Teaching (Chicago), PECS, PEERS, RDI after doing Diploma in Special education (Autism).

In 2019, she started Aadhar, an outreach program enabling rural NGOs in Early Intervention and primary education for children with developmental disabilities. This program caters to nearly 120 children with Autism and other Intellectual disabilities.

She is a recipient of Dr Amarnath Annual Award for Inclusion, in appreciation and honour of 22 years of committed contribution towards Inclusion.

She is the member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of Shree Chitra Tirunal institute of Medical sciences and Technology, Trivandrum.

She is on the Advisory Board of five other organizations in Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore and Trivandrum – Yash Charitable Trust (Mumbai), Cadrre (Trivandrum), Samya Trust (Kolkata), Transcendent Knowledge Society (Kolkata) and Shishu Mangal ( North Bengal ).

She is a strong advocate of Social Role valorization theory and has taken it as a crusade to create valued roles among individuals who are vulnerable, and a world where “everyone has a place and that place is honored” using Person centered approach.