“I was just seven years old when I lost my father. In the quiet aftermath of that loss, my mother made the difficult decision to leave Chennai and return to her native village, hoping to rebuild life for me and my younger brother. I joined a school there, but within a month, she realised something important – Chennai was where our future truly belonged. Almost overnight, we returned, carrying little more than hope and courage. That marked the beginning of a new life, shaped by resilience.
As a single mother and a 10th-grade graduate, she carried the weight of both business and family on her shoulders.

Slowly, through years of quiet sacrifice, we found stability. I went on to complete my Computer Science Engineering and soon married a wonderful person Mr. Praveen – my greatest gift in life.

Marriage opened doors to new experiences as his work took us across different parts of the world. Eventually, we returned home and chose to settle in Namma Chennai, Anna Nagar, where our roots felt strongest.

For more than a decade, I was a committed homemaker, blessed with two lovely boys and loving, supportive in-laws. My world revolved around my family. When my sons began attending full-time school, the house grew quieter, and I found myself with time, and questions. I felt a deep urge to do something meaningful. Yet, the thought of working came with its own fears. Above all, I wanted to be there every single day to welcome my sons home from school. That promise to myself stayed close to my heart.

That was when I chose to volunteer part-time at a special school. What began as a small step soon became a calling.

Working with children opened my eyes and my heart in ways I had never imagined. Over nearly eight years of volunteering, I pursued my passion with commitment, completing an M.Sc. in Counselling and Psychotherapy, Intensive Teacher Training for Specific Learning Disability, and a Diploma in Special Education.

Life then brought me together with two precious souls – Ms. Preethi Mohan and Ms. Indu. Like-minded and purpose-driven, we shared a deep passion for special education. Supported by a few strong pillars who believed in our vision, the three of us came together to start Pragathi Alternative School and Learning Center. It is a safe and nurturing space for children with learning disabilities who struggle in mainstream schools. We also support children with ASD and intellectual disabilities, helping them progress towards completing their school education with dignity and confidence.
Every child is unique. We identified each child’s strengths and needs and designed a curriculum across classes and subjects accordingly. Creating customised study aids and manipulatives was challenging, but essential. Each effort was a step towards making learning accessible, meaningful, and joyful.

Working with neurodiverse children is not easy. It demands varied teaching strategies, countless repetitions, immense patience, and the ability to balance education with administration. Many days, this work pulled me away from my family routine. There were sleepless nights and mornings with tired, swollen eyes. Yet, I walk into school every day because a child’s small victory or a parent’s relieved smile makes everything worthwhile.

Words fall short when I think of the maturity and understanding shown by my boys, my husband, who stood firmly beside me, and my in-laws whose quiet pride and constant encouragement became my backbone.

Our work with children goes beyond academics alone. Many children come to us with low self-esteem and emotional distress resulting from bullying, repeated scolding, or other difficult experiences. Our first priority is to help them regain emotional balance and a sense of safety.
Parents come to us from very different economic backgrounds. When a child comes from a low-income family and the parents are unable to afford the fees, we ensure that the financial constraints should not block the access to education.

We believe in equity rather than equality, which means providing opportunities based on a child’s needs rather than offering the identical opportunities to everyone. With this belief at heart, we formed a trust to support and serve children who need care, understanding, and access to education the most.

I strongly believe that we get what we give. Service is not always about money, it can be time, energy, effort, or patience. In the journey towards inclusion, it is not only the child with a disability who adapts, the world too must learn, change, and grow to embrace every child.”