Smrithi Thyagarajan, Harshita Nekkanti, Avi Jaiswal, Maithri Sivaraman, PhD, BCBA, Preeti Chojar, MCA, and Aboli Jadhav, BE

Association for Science in Autism Treatment

resources for the Indian autism community

Photographed by Anna Pou (pexels.com)

In this article, we are sharing a compilation of resources for Indian families and providers, including practical articles for parents and caregivers, guidance on evidence-based practices, and tips for managing daily life with autism. We also have flyers summarizing our newsletter and website in many of the languages spoken in India, along with visual tools like memes for easy sharing.

Informational Flyers

Below you will find flyers about our website (asatonline.org) and our free monthly publication, Science in Autism Treatment, are available in Bangla, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu – languages spoken widely by families and providers across India.

Articles

Here are several of our articles in Hindi (the original English versions are also linked).

Articles about Autism and Early Signs

The Treatment Team and Science Behind Various Autism Treatments

Resources for Parents to Learn More about ABA

Resources for ABA Providers

One of our former Externs, Aboli Jadhav, is the mother of a young daughter with autism. We showcased Aboli for her exemplary volunteer experiences and recently interviewed her as well.

Media Corner Letters

Over the years, we have responded to Indian news articles and encouraged stronger adherence to evidence-based autism treatment:

Shareable Graphics

We have created several memes in Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, and Tamil. Permission is not needed to share; however, we ask that you do not alter the image in any way and credit the Association for Science in Autism Treatment.

Other Indian Organizations

Below is a non-exhaustive list of Indian organizations offering services for individuals with autism and their families. This is by no means a comprehensive list or an endorsement of any of the organizations listed below, but we hope that these may serve as a starting point for those attempting to locate organizations for individuals with autism.

    • India Autism Center. The India Autism Center was founded in 2019 near Kolkata. Its mission is centered around creating an inclusive, supportive ecosystem and is motivated by the lack of resources available in India. Some core components of the organization include their residential care, which is aimed at long-term assisted living, their training programs, which provide hands-on training and practical certifications, and their research initiatives aimed at explaining interventions and building evidence-based care. The Indian Autism Center positions itself as a holistic ecosystem combining research, care, and life skills rather than just standalone services. They emphasize acknowledging individuals with autism, their voices and capitalizing on their strengths.
    • Behavior Momentum. Behavior Momentum India, founded by Dr. Smita Awasthi, offers individualized ABA therapy across various Indian cities, including Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata, Lucknow, and internationally in regions such as the USA, the Maldives, the UK, etc. Their services include function-based approaches for behavior reduction and skill-building, language and communication training, school inclusion, social skills groups, and online support through videoconferencing. Their specialty is that each child is supervised by 3-4 professionals, along with parent and team collaboration, to help better support the child.
    • WeCan India. WeCAN India, founded by Dr. Gita Sankaran and Swati Narayan in Chennai, states its mission as empowering individuals with autism to lead independent and meaningful lives through evidence-based practices. The center employs ABA as its foundational method for autism intervention, as well as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Their services are delivered through one-to-one therapy, telehealth, social skills programs, and structured group sessions and summer camps, which incorporate creative and recreational learning opportunities. They have also published a book titled A World of Difference, which is a handbook for parenting.
    • Cria Foundation. Cria Foundation, established in 2006 and based in New Delhi, has a mission of practicing joyful and effective teaching strategies. The foundation provides evidence-based family and child services such as social support, communication, inclusion-focused bridge programs, and telehealth. They also provide ABA certification courses, supervision for BCBA/RBT applications, workshops, webinars, internships for parents and practitioners, and more. The organization positions itself as a center for excellence for training and research dissemination.
    • Sambhavam Center for Autism. Sambhavam Center for Autism’s website outlines a comprehensive model of care, including individualized assessments and the creation of Individual Education Programs (IEPs) linked to ongoing one‑to‑one ABA therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy tailored for children up to eight years old. Moreover, Sambhavam seems to emphasize parent training, family-centered support, and awareness workshops, along with internships for graduate and undergraduate students. This aligns with recommendations in the ABA literature that advocate for caregiver involvement and practitioner development in services delivered to children. Sambhavam presents a synthesized model informed by both child-centered programs and family‑inclusive support, warranting further empirical examination in research that assesses long‑term developmental gains and quality‑of‑life outcomes in its service cohorts.
    • Autism Society of India. The Autism Society of India (ASI) seems committed to increasing awareness and supporting individuals across the autism spectrum, as detailed on the home page. The Society, registered under the Karnataka Societies Act, promotes early identification and intervention strategies, emphasizing that autism is typically identified before age three and impacts areas like communication, social skills, and restricted repetitive behaviors. ASI’s resources section features a curated directory of therapy centers and schools, including major affiliates across New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Odisha, reflecting its nationwide network. Moreover, ASI promotes involvement through its Get Involved portal, inviting participation from parents, educators, and professionals to enhance community outreach and program delivery.
    • Nayi Disha. The Nayi Disha Resource Centre aims to serve as an information hub for families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The website integrates informational resources, support groups, and offers a national directory of verified service providers. Its resources section includes guidance on early identification, therapy, and developmental strategies. Families can also access an online caregiver community, helpline support by phone and WhatsApp, and occasional parent-training workshops and local meet-ups. In addition, the services tab helps parents find and assess local therapists, educators, and support providers across India. Taken together, Nayi Disha appears to provide a model that combines parental information, peer connection, and resources to identify service providers.

Reference for this article:

Thyagarajan, S., Nekkanti, H., Jaiswal, A., Sivaraman, M., Chojar, P., & Jadhav, A. (2025). Supporting the Indian Autism community: A compilation of ASAT Resources. Science in Autism Treatment, 22(10).

 

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