We are deeply grateful to Ms. Lata Iyer, founder of the Reach Centre for Autism, for her unwavering commitment to building understanding and opportunities for autistic individuals.
A single mother to Anushka, an adult on the autism spectrum, Ms. Lata Iyer’s journey began with a determination to understand and support her daughter after her diagnosis. With no prior knowledge of autism and facing financial challenges, she chose to educate herself and completed a B.Ed. in Special Education, laying the foundation for a lifelong mission.
Over the years, she further strengthened her expertise through the Mother–Child Training Programme at Action for Autism, New Delhi, and a postgraduate level programme in Dyslexia Therapy from the Maharashtra Dyslexia Association in collaboration with the Multisensory Language Training Institute of New Mexico, USA -becoming Gujarat’s only certified Dyslexia Therapist.
In 2017, her vision took shape with the formal registration of the Reach Centre for Autism in Vadodara. Today the centre supports 21 students with a dedicated team, focusing on communication, functional independence, and vocational skills that help autistic individuals lead dignified lives.
We are especially thankful to Ms. Lata Iyer for being an Anupam Mitr and for generously sharing our storybooks with schools and libraries, including Billabong International High School, Dalmia Public School (Veraval), Somanath International School (Kodinar), the Reach Centre’s own library, and Teddy’s Toys & Book Library in Vadodara. She also conducted a teacher training and awareness programme, helping educators understand neurodiversity with greater sensitivity.
Her belief that every child has the ability and deserves the opportunity to reach their potential continues to inspire us.
Lata Ma’am, your journey, resilience, and dedication remind us that when love and determination come together, they can create spaces of hope and possibility for many others. Thank you for opening your heart to our work, for supporting our storybooks, and for walking alongside us in our shared journey of building a more understanding and inclusive world.
#Gratitude #Neurodiversity #AutismAcceptance #Inclusion #AAC #TeacherTraining #AnupamMitr #AnupamPrayaasFoundation
